Why Matej Vydra to Leeds United would be an absolute masterstroke
Matej Vydra was one of the most prolific strikers in the Championship during his final season with Derby County. He tore defences apart singlehandedly and was a formidable force to reckon with.
A top-flight move to Burnley followed the next season but since then, the 27-year-old has become a forgotten figure at Turf Moor. He has hardly featured for the Clarets since his arrival and even when he was on the field, the striker failed to replicate his second-tier form.
Last season, he played 13 games for Sean Dyche’s side and chipped in with a goal and an assist. And in the ongoing term, he has featured merely 4 times for Burnley and has provided a solitary assist.
These numbers are a far cry from the kind of impact he had at Pride Park. With a whopping 21 goals and 4 assists in 42 Championship matches in 2017/18, Vydra certainly let the numbers speak for himself. Unfortunately, things haven’t worked out for him since then but there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel for the Czech Republic star.
According to a report by Daily Star, Leeds United are prepared to shell out money and sign the £7.5m-rated striker in January.
Although the Whites are currently in fiery form, Marcelo Bielsa must avoid the mistakes he made last season and sign top-quality players in the mid-season trading period.
Doing so would potentially help avoid a last-minute burnout like the previous campaign. And considering Vydra’s influence in the Championship, signing him would certainly be a shrewd move.
Even before he joined the Rams, Vydra enjoyed a prolific spell with Watford in the second-tier competition. And since Bielsa has limited attacking options to reply upon – which include Patrick Bamford and Eddie Nketiah – the Leeds boss should go all out to sign the former Derby County star.
Kemar Roofe’s departure has left a huge void in the Leeds squad and Bielsa must address the weakness to ensure it doesn’t return to haunt him towards the crunch end of the season.
As far as Burnley are concerned, they have the likes of Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes to lead the line. And with Vydra’s game time severely limited at Turf Moor, joining Leeds in January would be a win-win situation for all parties involved.
