Leeds United will be pleased they could not conclude Pierre-Michel Lasogga deal in March

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In the summer Leeds United needed to find a player to replace their outgoing £15 million striker Chris Wood. The New Zealand international had scored 30 goals in the season previous, so Leeds had big boots to fill. The man they tasked with achieving the feat was German striker Pierre Michel-Lasogga.

Signed from Hamburg on loan, it looked a good deal. Lasogga had up and down points but, at the start of March, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds were in talks with Hamburg regarding a permanent stay.

As it was, nothing could be put together and Leeds fans will be relieved that is the case.

At the time the YEP state Lasogga was being chased permanently the German was in fine form and was increasing his popularity with the Leeds fans. He had just scored five goals in seven games. Add that to the five he already had and Lasogga’s stats looked reasonable with 10 from 22 games.

But since then the German has been poor. He has failed to score in his last nine games and has lost his place in Paul Heckingbottom’s starting XI to Caleb Ekuban.

Lasogga, who also would have commanded a hefty salary at Leeds, is simply not up to the task physically of being the goal-getter that Leeds need and the last two months have proved just that.

Leeds could have made a big mistake if they had secured the permanent move for Lasogga and have been left paying somebody who is clearly not good enough a lot of money.

This summer the West Yorkshire side need to finally replace Wood, the man whose goals guided them to their promotion chase last season.

But thankfully they did not manage to put a deal together for Lasogga in March, because he is simply not the man for the job.