Leeds United's hopes of signing Viktor Gyokeres this summer have been handed a boost and Javi Gracia could ditch the disappointing Georginio Rutter for the Swedish striker at Elland Road.
Could Leeds sign Gyokeres?
The Yorkshire outfit have long been linked with the Coventry City forward, who has been one of the standout performers in the Championship so far this campaign, notching 17 goals and eight assists for Mark Robins' side.
A report from Football Insider suggested that the Sky Blues are resigned to losing the 24-year-old should they fail to earn promotion this season, although that still remains a possibility, as they sit just three points outside the playoffs in the second tier.
Gyokeres looks destined to be playing Premier League football this time next year so the Yorkshire outfit must first avoid relegation, and then they could revisit a move for the £20m-rated striker.
WhoScored currently ranks the Sweden international as the sixth-best player in the division, as his impressive goal contributions and overall performances have helped him to a superb average rating of 7.19.
For context, Leeds' best player this season according to the same website has been Pascal Struijk with a 6.87 average rating, which emphasises the quality which Gyokeres could add to Gracia's squad.
Other than Rodrigo, no player at Elland Road this season has managed more than four goals in the top flight, which highlights a big area of improvement, especially when you consider that the Spaniard will turn 33 next term.
Should Leeds get rid of Rutter already?
The Whites spent a club-record £35.5m on Rutter in January, in the hope that the young Frenchman could aid their attacking woes and keep them in the Premier League, but the former Hoffenheim man has done little to justify his fee thus far, with no goals or assists in his nine appearances in all competitions.
The 20-year-old reportedly wishes he had remained at Hoffenheim, which doesn't bode well for his future at Elland Road, and his record of just 11 goals and eight assists with the Bundesliga side does little to suggest he will be a prolific forward at Leeds.
Meanwhile, Gyokeres has proven himself as a player that is far too good for the Championship at just 24 and is well-versed in the demands of English football, with teammate Max Biamou labelling him "unplayable" earlier in the season.
Even before Rutter arrived in England, he was averaging just 1.8 shots and 0.7 key passes per game at Hoffenheim, compared to the 3.1 shots and 1.6 key passes per game Gyokeres has contributed in the Championship this season.
Therefore, if Leeds do stay up and bring the Swedish star in this summer, then it could bring an early end to Rutter's time at Elland Road.
