Leeds United have a break from Championship action this week as they prepare to return to Elland Road for a League Cup clash with Middlesbrough on Wednesday night.
The Whites kicked off their league campaign with a dramatic 3-3 draw with Portsmouth in West Yorkshire on the opening day of their season on Saturday.
Brenden Aaronson, who returned to the club this summer after a loan spell in Germany with Union Berlin last term, scored in stoppage time to secure a point for his side.
However, it could have been a fairytale ending to his Championship debut just a few minutes later as the ball fell to him in front of goal with only Will Norris to beat, but his side-footed effort fell the wrong side of the post.
Whilst the USA international could be treated like a new signing, given he was not part of the team last season, Leeds have not yet added an out-and-out attacker to the group since Crysencio Summerville's move to West Ham United was completed.
The Whites have swooped to sign Jayden Bogle, Joe Rodon, Alex Cairns, and Joe Rothwell so far this summer, but are reportedly looking to bring in a new winger to replace their former Dutch star.
Leeds plotting bid for Championship sensation
According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are set to step up their interest in Norwich City forward Jonathan Rowe and will make a firm bid to bring him to Yorkshire.
The report claims that the West Yorkshire outfit believe that they still have a chance of beating Marseille, who are also interested in the England U21 international, to his services before the end of the summer transfer window.
It states that the French side, now managed by ex-Brighton & Hove Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi, have already had an offer of €12m (£10m) turned down by the Championship club.
TEAMtalk reveals that the Canaries are sticking to their valuation of £15m for the academy graduate, who has one year left on his contract – with an option to extend by a further 12 months – at Carrow Road.
The outlet claims that Leeds have already registered their interest with the Yellows and that they will now follow that up with a firm offer, but it does not outline how much they are prepared to pay for him, as they pursue his signature.
Rowe sparked controversy on Saturday when he decided to withdraw himself from selection for Norwich on the day of their clash with Oxford United, a game his team went on to lose 2-0.
Leeds could now look to take advantage of that situation by offering the winger a way out of Norfolk and a chance for the Canaries to recoup some money for an unsettled player.
If the Whites can secure a deal for the England youth international before the end of the window then they could bring in an exciting partner for Mateo Joseph.
Mateo Joseph's goalscoring potential for Leeds
The 20-year-old centre-forward was named in the starting XI for a league match for the first time in his senior career on Saturday in the draw with Portsmouth.
He earned his place in the team with his fantastic performances over the summer. The Spain U21 international scored four goals during pre-season, with two strikes against Hannover, one against Schalke, and one against Valencia.
Joseph showcased his quality, albeit in friendlies, against high-quality opposition, and that convinced Daniel Farke to unleash him from the start against Pompey.
Minutes played
79
Shots
4
Goals
0
Dribbles completed
2/3
Pass accuracy
80%
As you can see in the table above, it was a promising but not perfect performance from the Spanish youngster, with security in his dribbling and passing in build-up, without being able to finish the chances that came his way.
However, that was to be expected from a 20-year-old talent making his first start in the Championship. There is more to come from Joseph, who scored 19 goals in 33 games for the club's U21 side at academy level, as he gains more experience in the first-team.
He is an exciting striker prospect and could be a future star at Elland Road if he continues to progress, and he could continue that journey alongside another sublime EFL youngster in Rowe.
Why Leeds should sign Jonathan Rowe
The Norwich whiz would be a fantastic signing for Leeds to make for a number of reasons, not least because they would be weakening a potential promotion rival – given the two teams met each other in the play-offs last season.
Rowe is a versatile forward who can play on either flank, thanks to the gem being equally capable with either foot, or through the middle as a centre-forward, second striker, or attacking midfielder. This means that Farke could utilise him in a multitude of ways alongside Joseph in attack, either on the wing next to him or behind the marksman as a creator.
The 21-year-old sensation would also come through the door as an exciting young player with the potential to grow and develop over the years to come, which means that the manager could invest in him as a long-term project to improve his performance and increase his value.
Rowe is also a proven Championship performer who would be able to come in and hit the ground running straight away to bolster the club's attempts to secure promotion back to the Premier League this season.
Appearances
32
xG
5.36
Goals
12
Big chances created
1
Assists
2
Key passes per game
0.8
As you can see in the table above, he scored 12 goals from just 5.36 Expected Goals in the second tier for Norwich last term, which speaks to how ruthless his finishing is.
The English ace, whose movement was described as "impressive" by analyst Ben Mattinson, has the quality in front of goal to more than make the most of the chances that are created for him.
This suggests that he would be the perfect wing signing to partner Joseph, who may need other players to regularly chip in with goals whilst he gains more experience and works towards proving himself as a regular scorer at first-team level.
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