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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

According to Italian media outlet Tutto Mercato Web, Leeds United have had a €15m (£13.7m) offer for SPAL striker Andrea Petagna rejected, and a closer look at the 24-year-old last season suggests he shares one of current Whites striker Patrick Bamford’s worst habits.

Tutto Mercato Web report that the Yorkshire outfit will need to significantly raise their bid – to €25m (£22.8m) – if they are to have any chance of prising the centre-forward away from the side that only signed him this summer themselves from Atalanta.

While there is no doubting Petagna’s record in front of goal after he scored 16 goals in 36 Serie A matches last term – an impressive tally in one of Europe’s strongest leagues – a closer look at his statistics in 2018/19 shows that he has his shortcomings, too.

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Marcelo Bielsa’s men look to be in need of some competition or even an upgrade for the likes of Kemar Roofe and Patrick Bamford before the transfer window slams shut next Thursday, with the former also set to sit out the opening weeks of the campaign because of injury.

Leeds would be buying the Italian for his goal threat, but in many ways he seems to be similar to Bamford in terms of style of play – the duo contributed just three assists between them in 59 league appearances last time out for example.

One of the things that may frustrate the Elland Road faithful most about the man they signed from Middlesbrough is his carelessness on the ball, given he committed an average of 3 bad touches per outing in the Championship in 2018/19, while also being dispossessed on 1.2 occasions according to WhoScored.

Remarkably, Petagna’s record for the latter is actually exactly twice as bad, while he had 2.3 poor touches on average himself.

While he may be a proven goal-getter, it suggests that the Trieste-born striker would arrive at Elland Road with his fair share of potentially infuriating attributes as well.

Considering his reported price tag, Leeds would surely be better off looking elsewhere if they do want to strengthen their frontline before the deadline.

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