Orta can land Leeds’ next Hernandez with swoop for “lethal” £137k-p/w “goal machine” - opinion

Leeds United are currently stepping up their summer transfer dealings with two additions already in the bag and a third on its way in the form of Bayern Munich man Marc Roca, with manager Jesse Marsch plotting a much needed revamp to a squad that only staved off relegation by the skin of their teeth in the most recent campaign.

Those arrivals alone, however, will seemingly not be enough to spark a drastic improvement next term, with the Yorkshire side in need of a sprinkling of true quality to try and fire them away from danger.

One man who has been earmarked as a potential statement, marquee acquisition is Belgium veteran Dries Mertens, with the 35-year-old having been tipped to make the move to Elland Road this summer.

Not only are the Whites believed to be in the running for his signature, but they are also likely to be able to prise him for nothing, with it looking as if the forward won’t be handed a new deal despite his existing contract nearing its expiry.

Some may question the wisdom in plucking an ageing talent who would be nothing more than a short-term fix, although the £137k-per-week “goal machine” – as he has been dubbed by Kristof Terreur – still appears to have plenty left in the tank.

In the 2021/22 season, the diminutive marksman chipped in with 11 goals and one assist for the Serie A side, taking his total tally to a staggering 148 goals and 90 assists in 397 games for the Italian side since joining from PSV Eindhoven in 2013.

Any doubters need also only look to his overall record throughout his club career, as his total haul now stands at 246 goals and 181 assists in 683 games across his spells in Naples and Holland – where he also featured for FC Utrecht and AGOVV Apeldoorn.

Throw in his wealth of