Leeds United are currently putting their plans together to go through the upcoming summer transfer window after they failed to earn promotion from the Championship.
The Whites lost 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley last month and will now prepare for a second season in the second tier next term.
Daniel Farke was tasked with leading the club back to the Premier League at the first time of asking but fell short at the final hurdle in the capital, after finishing third in the league.
The German head coach will now need to prepare for a turnover in his squad over the coming months, as Crysencio Summerville has been linked with Liverpool and teen starlet Archie Gray is reportedly of interest to Bayern Munich and Mikel Arteta's Arsenal.
New signings will be needed to replace any stars who may leave and to freshen the team up ahead of another promotion push next season, and the Whites are reportedly eyeing up a talent from the Premier League to bolster their side.
Leeds United's interest in Premier League forward
According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are one of the teams lining up a possible swoop to sign Fulham attacker Bobby Decordova-Reid ahead of next season.
The report claims that the 31-year-old winger has decided to call time on his spell at Craven Cottage this summer and is due to become a free agent when his contract expires at the end of this month.
Fulham had offered the talented whiz a new two-year deal to remain with the Premier League outfit but the former Bristol City star has decided to go in search of a new challenge.
Leeds and Everton are two of the teams keeping tabs on Decordova-Reid's situation due to their respective financial situations and their need to sign a winger, as the Cottagers ace is set to be available on a free transfer.
The Jamaica international could be snapped up as a bargain replacement for current Whites forward Wilfried Gnonto, who could be on his way out of Elland Road this summer.
Calcio Mercato journalist Francesco Guerrieri recently claimed that the Italy U21 international would like to return to his home country ahead of next season.
The reporter stated that any offers from teams in the Serie A would come as a priority for the winger, who is seemingly seeking an exit from Yorkshire.
Wilfried Gnonto's season in numbers
The 20-year-old forward enjoyed a solid season in the Championship as he showcased his quality as a scorer of goals from a position on the right flank.
Gnonto ranked within the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the division for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.44), as he racked up eight strikes in 36 appearances.
This shows that he was among the best in his position at scoring goals from open play, rather than relying on penalties, with one strike almost every other 90 minutes.
The right-footed ace, who only started 19 league games, scored those eight goals from an xG of 5.36, which speaks to the ruthlessness of his finishing as the young gem outperformed based on the quality of chances that were created for him.
Appearances
36
Assists
2
Big chances created
5
Key passes per game
0.6
Pass accuracy
83%
However, as you can see in the table above, his creativity was not quite on the same level as he only registered two assists in 36 Championship games.
He ranked within the bottom 43% of his positional peers for assists per 90 (0.11) and these statistics suggest that his goal threat was his biggest weapon in a Leeds shirt.
This means that any replacement coming in for the winger this summer, should he depart for the Serie A or elsewhere, would need to be a player who can be relied upon to chip in with goals and be efficient in front of goal.
It would also be a dream scenario if Farke could lure a star who could also provide more in the way of creativity, so that Leeds would have a winger who can provide quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals on the right flank.
This is why Decordova-Reid, who has proven himself in the Premier League and the Championship, could be a dream replacement for Gnonto.
Why Leeds should sign Bobby Decordova-Reid
Firstly, Leeds should sign the 31-year-old star because he is a Premier League quality attacker who could be a good option for them if they get promoted.
This means that he could help them to get out of the Championship next season whilst also having the ability to make the step up if required the following term.
Decordova-Reid plundered six goals from an xG of 4.55 across 33 appearances and 17 starts in the Premier League for Fulham this season, which shows that he is a quality finisher by top-flight standards as he exceeded his xG.
The experienced forward ranked within the top 19% of his positional peers in the division for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.38), and this suggests that he is similar to Gnonto as they are both wingers who consistently chip in with non-penalty goals and outperform their xG.
His form in his last season in the Championship, which came in the 2021/22 campaign, also suggests that he could even be an upgrade on the Italian forward.
Appearances
41
36
Goals
8
8
Big chances missed
7
3
Assists
7
2
Big chances created
10
5
Key passes per game
1.2
0.6
As you can see in the table above, they both offer a similar goal threat in the second tier but the Fulham man has the potential to provide significantly more as a creator for his teammates.
This is why the 5 foot 7 attacker, who was once dubbed a "real handful" by journalist Josh Bunting, could be a dream replacement for Gnontot his summer.
Not only could he replace the goalscoring prowess that the former Zurich man provides but he can also improve Farke's squad from a creative perspective, based on his terrific form for Fulham at this level.
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Therefore, Decordova-Reid could be a bargain signing for Leeds on a free transfer this summer and this appears, on paper, to be one that the club should be pushing to get done.