Leeds examine signing £50K-a-wk top flight centre-forward on permanent deal - report
By Richard Parks
Leeds United have examined signing Pierre-Michel Lasogga on a permanent deal when his loan expires at the end of the season, according to a report.
The Yorkshire Evening Post claim that as recently as last month the United board have been looking at ways to keep Lasogga on board within their budget.
It is said that Leeds are currently paying around a quarter of Lasogga's £50,000-a-week Hamburg contract that runs until the summer of 2019.
The German club are keen to offload the striker permanently in the summer amid the growing possibility they will be relegated from the Bundesliga to the second tier.
The Yorkshire Evening Post report that there is likely to have been a change in the Leeds hierarchy's stance in recent weeks following a drop-off in form from Lasogga, who has not scored for 10 matches.
Football Insider verdict:
It is unlikely Leeds will push through the permanent signing of Lasogga after his horrible recent form. He was scoring goals at the end of February, including in three consecutive matches, but his lack of movement and mobility means he is entirely dependent upon good service and the team playing to his strengths. That worked with Chris Wood last season but the Kiwi has showed there are plenty of strings to his bow after making the step up to the Premier League look an easy one. By contrast, Lasogga's career is stalling. His haul of 10 goals from 32 matches this season is okay, but well below what should be expected from a £50,000-a-week striker.