New Leeds United link to £35,000-a-week Middlesbrough striker

Leeds United have been linked with Middlesbrough striker Britt Assombalonga, according to one tabloid report.

The Daily Mirror claim that Leeds want to sign the 27-year-old forward, who is recovering from injury.

The former Nottingham Forest frontman has not played since December 7 after suffering an ankle injury, but he is on the mend.

Assombalonga returned to training on Sunday and is expected to be fit next week with Middlesbrough taking on Blackburn.

There is very little detail in the exclusive from the Mirror, other than Leeds are looking to replace Eddie Nketiah, whose loan was cut short and returned to Arsenal.

Marcelo Bielsa’s second-placed Leeds have not scored in their last three games in all competitions and they are look to add to their squad

Assombalonga, who has scored six times this term, has 18 months left on his Boro contract and is understood to be on a £35,000-a-week deal at The Riverside.

On Monday a report claimed Leeds had been offered the chance to sign Everton misfit Oumar Niasse on loan until the end of the season,

Football Insider claimed that Toffees chiefs are trying to offload their 29-year-old forward, whose contract is up at the end of the season, on the Championship promotion hopefuls.

Niasse was used from the bench by Carlo Ancelotti with 16 minutes remaining in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at West Ham, but that was only the Senegal international’s second appearance of the season.