Calvert-Lewin repeat: Leeds “looking” at signing PL star who once cost £47m

Leeds United are on a roll at the moment in the Premier League.

Indeed, it wasn’t too far back that Daniel Farke was looking likely to be the next in line to face the sack, as the Whites succumbed to four straight defeats in November.

Now, however, the reinvigorated West Yorkshire outfit are three matches unbeaten in the unforgiving division, with a 3-1 win against Chelsea the standout result across a December where the festive cheer has been very present at Elland Road.

Farke won’t want his much-improved team to rest on its laurels, though, as lots of football is still to be played in their bid to beat the drop, with the January transfer window reopening undoubtedly helping their chances of clinching immediate safety.

Leeds weighing up major January move

Leeds haven’t always been known to splash the cash in a January window, Giorginio Rutter excluded, but with survival on the line, that could soon change.

As per a report from Football Insider, the Whites could seal a statement deal shortly by going after four-time Premier League champion Raheem Sterling.

Ex-top-flight scout Mick Brown has out to say that the Englishman’s exit from Chelsea now looks “inevitable”.

In full, Brown stated: “I understand Leeds and other Premier League teams are looking at potentially taking him. They’re in need of attacking players, and at his best he would be an improvement on what they’ve got, it’s just a question of whether he is at his best these days.”

While the Elland Road outfit may be interested, there are obvious concerns over his immediate fitness, having been placed firmly away from the first team picture at Chelsea by Enzo Maresca.

Why Sterling could be a Calvert-Lewin repeat

Those same issues of potential rust didn’t stop Leeds in their hunt for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with the decision to bring in the ex-Everton striker – who struggled towards the latter stages of his Merseyside career – looking to now be an inspired move, as the number nine headed home a crucial equaliser last time out.

Could Sterling follow in the Sheffield-born forward’s footsteps, therefore, in turning around his own negative narrative?

It feels like an awfully long time since Sterling was being branded a “world-class” talent on Manchester City’s books, as his former Liverpool boss, Brendan Rodgers, would label him, having witnessed his explosion at the Etihad after leaving Anfield.

At his prime in Manchester, Sterling was a serial trophy winner and a key piece of Pep Guardiola’s jigsaw, with a stunning 131 goals and 86 assists tallied up from 339 games. Now, however, he’s more known for a one-goal loan stint at Arsenal, and being stuck on the periphery at nearby Chelsea, having been dismissed as a “passenger” earlier in the year by journalist Charles Watts.

A change of scenery for the once £47m man, therefore, could be just what Sterling needs to relight his fire, with Leeds potentially giving him the platform to be a first-team star again, having been generous to Calvert-Lewin in this regard.

Much like Sterling, Calvert-Lewin had been subject to widespread criticism during the latter stages of his Toffees career, having been noted for “struggling” by the Athletic’s Paddy Boyland just last season, when only a weak three goals came his way.

Games played

14

Goals

5

Goalscoring frequency

Every 189 mins

Goal conversion

17%

Amazingly, the often injury-prone striker at Goodison Park has now come into his own under Farke’s wing at Leeds, with five strikes for the season, from just 15 games, bumping up his overall Premier League goal tally to 62 efforts, as Calvert-Lewin continues to roll back the years.

Sterling has an awe-inspiring 123 goals to fall back on, himself, with it not out of the question to suggest that the 82-time England international could provide goals and assists in equal supply if given a shot at Elland Road, with a sublime eight goals and seven assists next to his name during the 2023/24 season in league action, when being regularly used at the Blues.

He would have to fight it out for a starting spot, like Calvert-Lewin, who initially arrived injured, but if he can get back to his devastating best, he would very much find a way to be in Farke’s starting XI.

Able to play down either flank, or even as a striker option, this could be a signing of real intent in January if pulled off.

His crazy £325k-per-week wage would present another hurdle in Leeds’ pursuit, but the 31-year-old would surely be prepared to take a hit on his salary if it meant he had a great chance of turning around his fortunes, seeing first-hand Calvert-Lewin’s dramatic recovery.

Better than Calvert-Lewin: Leeds make approach to sign big-money striker

Leeds United look set to make a move for a new centre-forward in the January window.

ByEthan Lamb