According to recent reports, Leeds are interested in signing QPR starlet Eberechi Eze this summer.
What’s the word?
Eze has been in superb form for the Championship side this season, racking up 14 goals and eight assists in the league. That has prompted speculation he could be heading for the exit door, with reports now suggesting Leeds are keen on having him lead their Premier League return next season.
The Sun have claimed Marcelo Bielsa has identified the 22-year-old as someone who can bring a creative spark to Elland Road, and that the Whites are ready to outbid the likes of Tottenham and West Ham in the race to sign him.
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In fact, it’s further suggested that Leeds actually informed QPR of their intentions of placing a bid for the England youth international back in January if they achieved promotion this season.
Sterling 2.0
It’s fair to say that Eze has earned a lot of plaudits in his short career as a first-team football for QPR.
Mark Warburton hailed him as a “tremendous talent” who has “no limits” in just how far he can go, whilst the Hoops’ former assistant manager Mark Bircham said: “He goes past players easier than Raheem Sterling did. Sterling would beat players with pace or do a trick or a chop – it’s all dynamic movements, but Ebere Eze just glides past players.”
With Sterling also having come through the QPR academy, that may be a simple comparison to make. But if you dig beneath that, you can see just how comparable the two are.
As per Whoscored, he has averaged a stunning three dribbles per game in the Championship, whilst also attempting 2.2 shots per match too. And with his tally of 14 goals this season, he clearly has the goal-scoring knack that Sterling has developed, with the latter netting 19 in the Premier League for Manchester City.
Speaking about his dribbling ability, Danny Higginbotham remarked: “You would not want him one on one. He has that knack of gliding past players with ease. He has so many assists because he attracts so much attention which creates space for his teammates.”
If Leeds manage to sign him this summer, then they could very well have their own Sterling in their hands.