Daniel Farke has inherited a hugely difficult task at Leeds United as he attempts to lead the club to an instant return to the Premier League.
His job has been made harder due to Rodrigo’s recent departure to Qatari side Al Rayyan. The Spaniard was Leeds’ top scorer last season with 15 goals in all competitions, with Luis Sinisterra in second on just seven.
The German coach has lost one of the club’s most influential and important players, as he must pinpoint a new, consistent source of goals for the upcoming season.
One player who can fill Rodrigo’s void is Emmanuel Dennis, who is on the lookout for a new club.
What’s the latest on Emmanuel Dennis to Leeds United?
Last month, it was reported by The Athletic that Dennis is very likely to leave Nottingham Forest this summer, with his representatives having already started the process of holding exploratory talks with interested parties.
It is understood that the 25-year-old is keen to remain in Europe and will resist any lucrative approaches from Saudi Arabia.
Furthermore, it seems that Forest may have already recruited his replacement, as they’re on the verge of sealing a £15m deal for Manchester United’s Anthony Elanga.
This may prompt Dennis to push harder for an exit – and he could do wonders at Elland Road.
Would Emmanuel Dennis be a good signing for Leeds United?
Last summer, the Nigerian secured a move to the east Midlands from Watford, but it didn't materialise as expected.
He only managed six Premier League starts and scored just twice, failing to play any notable part in Forest avoiding relegation in their first season back in the top flight for over two decades.
The forward will be more fondly remembered for his final season with the Hornets. He was unable to prevent the club from going down, but he performed admirably in a dismally below-average side.
During the 2021/22 campaign, he was Watford’s top scorer with ten goals as well as their best creator with six assists. Elsewhere, he averaged the highest rating (6.89), and recorded the most dribbles per game in the squad, as per WhoScored.
His string of impressive performances led to glowing praise from former manager Claudio Ranieri, who said: “[Dennis] is a very talented player. He’s fast, has good skill, always runs straight to the goal – I love these kinds of players.”
Having shown he can produce in the top flight, Farke should accelerate the club’s attempts to sign Dennis and give him the chance to mirror the empathic impact that Jermaine Beckford had during a glittering four-year spell in Yorkshire.
In 152 appearances between 2006 and 2010, the striker netted 85 times as he became a nightmare to contain during Leeds' time out of the top tier.
In 2010, the Jamaican memorably scored the only goal of the game in Leeds’ third-round FA Cup win over Manchester United to consign the Red Devils to their first defeat to lower-league opposition in the competition since 1984.
It is this prowess at the lower level, regardless of the opposition, that Dennis should look to emulate.
And given his aforementioned exploits in the Premier League, there is every chance he can indeed evoke the memories of Beckford's Elland Road career by excelling with Leeds in the Championship before spearheading their attack in the Premier League a year from now.
Therefore, if Leeds move for Dennis, it could see Farke instantly replace Rodrigo, whilst also potentially unearthing a Beckford-esque figure up top.
