Let’s do a quick check on the strikers throughout Europe who are expected to pack their bags and head for a change of scenery.

In Spain alone, you’d think they had a monopoly on hit men who are capable of solving problems in the Premiership. Strikers capable of lifting the mediocre to a higher plateau; strikers who might add more power to the already formidable arsenals of Manchester United and Chelsea and also to clubs like Liverpool, Spurs, Bolton and Aston Villa hoping to make a crucial breakthrough.

The Italian press is full of speculation. AC Milan are going to cement their position as European champions by throwing around £70m on any one of half-a-dozen hit men who will be expected to help them not only to recapture the Serie A title, but also to reinforce their European credentials.

'He is a big, speedy, tough, uncompromising type of player who can unsettle the most organised defence'


Newspapers and the Internet are solid with names – it’s the great mix ’n’ match season. Eidur Gudjohnsen, David Villa, Raul, Fernando Torres, Andriy Shevchenko, Samuel Eto’o, Darren Bent, Aiyegbeni Yakubu, Diego Forlan - oh, and Thierry Henry. Have I missed any?

Managers and scouts are scouring Europe (and even further afield) on the great summer bargain hunt. And all the time, there’s a real gem right under their noses.

Steve Coppell won’t thank me for saying this, but one of his Reading players has been turning heads at the European Under-21 Championships in Holland this week, and his name hasn’t even been mentioned in dispatches. I’m talking about Leroy Lita, the 22-year-old striker from the Congo who is top scorer in the tournament.

Sky TV cameras are pretty good at picking out managers in the crowd on a spying mission, but there’s been an amazing lack of interest this year in a tournament that has unearthed so many wonderful young players in past seasons. Sunderland boss Roy Keane has been a permanent fixture at most games in which England have been engaged, but it has already been established that his main target is Lita’s strike partner, David Nugent of Preston.

Lita’s had a short, chequered career with Reading in the Premiership after leaving Bristol City for £1m, and he has been involved in a couple of unsavoury incidents, including a case of alleged grievous bodily harm in Bristol and a head-butting incident involving Charlton’s Talal El Karkouri last season.

But he is a big, speedy, tough, uncompromising type of player who can unsettle the most organised defence. He’s got two good feet and reminds me very much of a young Les Ferdinand.

The goal he scored to give England the lead in the Under-21 semi-final against Holland on Wednesday night was superb. Unfortunately, the Dutch equalised in the last minute of normal time, and after another goalless 30 minutes England were finally beaten 13-12 in an amazing penalty shoot-out to be denied a place in the final.

Given that Charlton took a chance on Darren Bent, splashing out £2.5m for the then 21-year old and his value has risen four-fold at least, can the likes of Man United, Chelsea, and Liverpool afford to miss the boat on Leroy?