Leeds make bids for two strikers to replace Wood

Leeds United have reportedly made two bids for two strikers as they look to replace Chris Wood.

Guardian Sport’s deputy news editor Ed Aarons claims Leeds have already tried to replace Wood, who has left for Burnley for an initial £15million, by making a £6million bid for Middlesbrough striker Rudy Gestede.

Gestede, 28, has made four appearances for Boro this season, scoring once and Garry Monk is unlikely to let the former Aston Villa target man leaves without a fight.

The Benin-born forward, who has also collected two assists this term, has a contract with the Teesside club until 2020.

Meanwhile, the Yorkshire Post’s Leeds correspondent Phil Hay claims the club have also placed an offer on the table for Jay Roy Grot.

Grot, 19, is a striker, who plays for NEC Nijmegen in the second tier in Holland.

The 6ft 4in frontman started their first league game on Friday – a 3-1 win over Almere, but is only contracted to NEC until next summer.

The Arnhem-born striker scored seven goals in 28 appearances last season as NEC were relegated from the Eriedivise.

Leeds boss Thomas Christiansen is in need of at least one striker after selling Wood to Burnley and allowing Marcus Antonsson join Blackburn on loan as well as seeing Caleb Ekuban pick up an injury

Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani has confirmed the £15m fee for Wood will be put back into the first team and it’s understood two strikers will be drafted in.

Radrizzani also confirmed he tried to keep Wood by offering him a three-year deal with “reasonable” exit clauses.

“For the past month we have tried to negotiate a new three-year contract with Chris Wood,” he told the Yorkshire Post.

“We offered the player strong financial terms including reasonable exit clauses, lower than the fee we demanded for a transfer this summer, should the club not reach the Premier League in a certain timeframe.

“However the player’s preference was to leave Leeds United and as he only had one year left on his contract after this season we had to protect the club and ensure we did not sell Chris below our valuation. “We want players at Leeds who consider us a big club and we want players who are committed to our vision to return to the Premier League.

“Supporters can rest assured that monies generated from the sale of Chris Wood will be reinvested into adding to the 12 signings we have made already.”