Leeds United look to replace Chris Wood with swift forward thinking

Leeds hope to reach a deal for 6’3” Grot after submitting an offer for the 19-year-old but Boro are resisting efforts to take Gestede from The Riverside before the end of the transfer window.

Sources on Teesside indicated last night that a bid by Leeds for Gestede – who the Elland Road club are believed to value at £6m – had been rejected after the forward recovered from a slow start to his career with Boro to force his way into their starting line-up.

Gestede has started all four of Boro’s Championship games this season and manager Garry Monk, the former United boss, is expected to repel interest in him during the final stages of the summer window. The 28-year-old has been at The Riverside since January, when he arrived at Boro in a £6m move from Aston Villa.

That transfer was completed at a time when Victor Orta, Leeds’ director of football, was head of recruitment at Boro.

Grot, however, has emerged as a more realistic option and drew attention from Leeds after United owner Andrea Radrizzani promised to plough £15m raised from the sale of Wood to Burnley back into the first-team squad.

The Holland Under-19 international, who turned professional with NEC two years ago, played 20 times for the Dutch side last season and scored five goals.

His deal in Nijmegen expires next summer.

Burnley broke their transfer record to sign Wood on a four-year contract yesterday. Leeds have received an initial fee of £15m, a sum which could rise to £18m with add-ons.