There’s a huge gap in United’s squad with only one senior striker in their ranks, and the latest rumours indicate that the Whites are considering filling that gap with Leigh Griffiths.
Indeed, Football Insider are reporting that the Yorkshire club have shown an interest in the Celtic striker, and the Scottish outfit are ready to let him go for a fee between £10m-£12m.
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So, would he be a good signing for Leeds?
When he’s at his best he’s a prolific striker, netting 31 goals in 34 league appearances back in the 2015/16 season, but in recent times he’s not shown that.
He’s actually not played all that much football of late, starting just twice for Celtic in the league this season, and playing just 571 minutes in the Scottish Premiership in 2018/19.
We asked our team of writers to give their verdicts on whether or not the 29-year-old would be a good signing.
Vijievan Jeevathayalan
“When looking at Leigh Griffiths’ goal-scoring record this season, it would be easy for Leeds to turn their noses up at potential move. But in reality, his five strikes in 20 games is misleading in the sense that those matches have only amounted to 683 minutes of football.
“The 29-year-old’s record as a whole with Celtic is considerably better, and exactly the reason why Marcelo Bielsa’s side shouldn’t think twice about signing him. He has 109 goals in 223 games for the club, playing a major part in Celtic’s domestic dominance in recent years.
“That experience of constantly playing with the pressure of helping his side be the top dogs in Scottish football makes him a perfect fit for Leeds, where a return to the Premier League is now the be-all and end-all. Patrick Bamford has struggled to handle the burden of firing the Whites into the promised land, with a goal every 209 minutes in the Championship.
“Griffiths, on the other hand, has shown he can do the business north of the border. It’s a no-brainer for Victor Orta.”
James Beavis
“Leigh Griffiths turns 30 years of age this year and as per Transfermarkt, has never played above League One level in England.
“So why would Leeds United be looking to sign him – especially for a minimum £10m fee? In all honesty, it smacks of their current desperation and him being a bad Plan B to Che Adams, for whom a January move continues to stall.
“The main aim for the Whites in the remaining months of the Championship campaign is to achieve promotion to the Premier League, and if they get there they will likely need a striker capable of finding the net on at least a semi-regular basis in order to keep them afloat.
“Griffiths may have scored 109 goals in 223 games for Celtic, but the Scottish Premiership is a completely different kettle of fish to the top two tiers in English football, and he simply wouldn’t translate those numbers should he complete a move to Elland Road.
“Victor Orta can do better than this move, and needs to find a striker who provides better value for money.”
Matt Dawson
“This has the potential to be one of Orta’s biggest mistakes. Since he was brought into the club there have been some questionable acquisitions – the very fact 31 players departed the Whites over the summer suggests that. However, with Leeds operating under strict financial guidelines, something that saw them loan six men a matter of months ago, they simply cannot afford that kind of fee for Leigh Griffiths.
“United have been after a host of proven Championship strikers this month, including Che Adams and Billy Sharp, so this change of attitude is rather bizarre. What Leeds need in January is someone who can arrive on loan. Targeting someone who isn’t available in that capacity would, therefore, be entirely pointless.
“Marcelo Bielsa’s men are in need of more goals this month but with Griffiths scoring just five in 2019/20, he isn’t the answer.”
Charles Jones
“I don’t think that Leigh Griffiths is the answer for Leeds, and certainly not for an eight-figure fee. The striker hasn’t even played on a regular basis for the last two years, never mind scoring goals.
“With Marcelo Bielsa’s strikers needing to be fit, it’s hard to imagine a man who has started just one game this term being up to the task of playing under the Argentine.
“At his best, Griffiths was a goal machine, netting 31 in 34 in the league, but the 2015/16 season was a long time ago, and United can’t live in the hope that he’s going to recapture his former glory. Leeds must think twice before making this move.”
In other news, Phil Hay has outlined Leeds’ stance on committing to a financial outlay this month.