Leeds United Targeted Striker Transfer Under Jesse Marsch; 32-Year-Old Now Boasts 21 Premier League Goals in 14 Months
Leeds United Sought Striker in January 2023, Considering a Possible Reunion with Newcastle's Chris Wood
When Leeds United were relegated from the Premier League, much of the blame was directed at the club’s transfer decisions following Marcelo Bielsa’s success in bringing them to the top half.
Failing to build on that momentum, Leeds struggled due to a lack of consistent goal-scoring options.
In January 2023, under Jesse Marsch, Leeds were actively searching for a striker to bolster their attack and help stave off relegation.
The club eventually signed Georginio Rutter in a £36 million deal, but it was revealed that Leeds had also explored signing Chris Wood from Newcastle United.
Wood, a former Leeds player, had been instrumental in their 2016/17 Championship season, scoring 27 goals and providing four assists.
However, instead of returning to Leeds, Wood joined Nottingham Forest on an initial loan deal during the same January window.
Forest subsequently defeated Leeds, a loss that marked the end of Marsch’s time at the club. With their survival secured, Forest made Wood’s transfer permanent for £15 million.
Since then, Wood has thrived at Forest, where manager Nuno Espirito Santo has inspired a remarkable run of form, resulting in 21 league goals since August 2023.
Wood’s performance has been instrumental to Forest’s success this season, with his recent brace against Leicester City moving Forest to seventh in the league table, boasting four wins in nine matches and only one loss.
Wood himself is now on seven league goals, showcasing the best form of his Premier League career.
Interestingly, Espirito Santo—the coach now bringing out the best in Wood—was in discussions with Leeds as a potential replacement for Marsch in 2023, before they ultimately hired Javi Gracia.
