Scoring goals has been a problem for Leeds United at times in the 2026/27 Premier League campaign, but their defensive record has ensured that they have enjoyed a strong start to the season.
The Whites have only scored ten goals in their first ten games, with four of those strikes coming in one game against Newcastle United, and Daniel Farke will want more quality from his side at the top end of the pitch.
Noah Okafor scored his second goal of the league season in the 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur last time out, as the club recorded their fourth clean sheet in ten matches.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has scored four goals, is the only player in the first-team squad who has scored more than two goals in the Premier League this term.
Leeds must sign another centre-forward
Leeds need to bring in another number nine option when the January transfer window opens for business because Lukas Nmecha is not offering enough of a goal threat to compete with Calvert-Lewin.
The former Germany international started the game against Spurs last weekend and failed to score in 77 minutes, before being replaced by Okafor, who scored in less than two minutes on the pitch.
Nmecha has now gone 25 matches without a goal for Leeds in all competitions. His last goal came against Birmingham in the FA Cup back in February.
The former Wolfsburg marksman’s form over the past nine months has not been good enough and that has contributed to the team’s lack of success in front of goal this season.
|
26/27 Premier League |
Calvert-Lewin |
Nmecha |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
10 |
9 |
|
xG |
4.37 |
0.68 |
|
Shots on target |
4 |
1 |
|
Goals |
10 |
0 |
|
Conversion rate |
21% |
0% |
|
Minutes per goal |
217 |
N/A |
Nmecha is not putting pressure on Calvert-Lewin’s place in the side, due to his lack of quality in the final third, which is why the club should be looking for another option in that position.
Leeds eyeing up Calvert-Lewin upgrade
The West Yorkshire outfit are already along the right lines behind the scenes, as they are looking at a player who could provide genuine competition up front.
According to Football Insider, Leeds United are one of the teams plotting a move to sign Middlesbrough centre-forward Will Lankshear in the January transfer window.
The report claims that the Whites have joined the sides chasing a deal for the England U21 international, with scouts said to have been impressed by his performances this season.
It adds that Farke is ‘determined’ to sign a new number nine in the winter window and that he has set his sights on a swoop for the former Tottenham marksman.
The 21-year-old striker would be a phenomenal signing for Leeds because his form this season suggests that he has the potential to arrive at Elland Road as an even better option than Calvert-Lewin.
As good as the England international has been since his move from Everton, Lankshear’s unbelievable goal record for Boro shows that he has immense potential as a goalscorer.
|
Championship top scorers this season |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Goals |
|
Will Lankshear |
13 |
|
Jack Moylan |
10 |
|
Andri Gudjohnsen |
10 |
|
Jarrod Bowen |
7 |
|
Cyle Larin |
7 |
|
Isaac Price |
6 |
|
Fer Lopez |
6 |
|
Sam Dalby |
6 |
|
August Priske |
6 |
The former Spurs academy graduate is the top goalscorer in the Championship this term, with 13 goals, and that is despite missing the last two games before the international break through injury.
In all competitions, Lankshear has scored 15 goals from 10.40 xG for Boro, including 13 goals from 10.28 xG in the second tier, and is well on his way to scoring over 20 goals for the first time in his career.
Calvert-Lewin, meanwhile, has never scored more than 16 goals in a league season and has scored 18 goals from 20.49 xG in the Premier League since the start of the 2025/26 campaign.
These statistics suggest that Lankshear has the potential to be more prolific and more clinical than the Leeds striker if he can make the step up to the top-flight in 2027.
The 15-goal marksman’s return of 12 goals from 11.08 xG for an Oxford United side that got relegated to League One last season also shows that his current form is not just a flash in the pan, as he enjoyed a strong year for goals in a dismal team.
Therefore, Leeds should push to win the race for the striker when the January transfer window opens for business because he could be the competition for Calvert-Lewin, and a possible upgrade, that they are currently lacking.
