Leeds United have are set to make their first offer in the battle for the signing of Besiktas striker Cyle Larin, a report from a print edition of Turkish outlet Takvim has claimed.

Larin is currently out on loan with Zulte Waregem this season, and has so far scored nine goals and provided 11 assists in 33 appearances in all competitions for the Belgian club.

That is something that appears to have again caught the attention Leeds, who were previously linked with the attacker when he was playing in the MLS with Orlando City prior to his move to Besiktas, and again during the course of this season.

Now it seems Leeds are taking their interest in Larin a step further, with the latest reports claiming that the Championship side are lining up an offer for the 24-year-old, with the Elland Road club said to be willing to pay a "decent fee" for his services.

It has also been claimed that Waregem have the option to make Larin's move permanent in the summer transfer window for a fee of around €2.5million, and it remains to be seen how that could impact Leeds' pursuit of the Canadian international.

Having joined Besiktas from Orlando in the 2018 January transfer window, Larin has so far made 26 appearances in total for the Turkish giants, scoring eight goals.

There are around two-and-a-half years remaining on Larin's contract with Besiktas, securing his future at the club until the end of the 2021/22 season.

The Verdict

This is an interesting one.

When you look at the options they currently have available to them, you do feel as though Leeds will need to add to their attacking ranks in the summer transfer window, regardless of what division they are in next season.

As a result, the fact that they already look to be moving quickly here in an attempt to secure Larin's services is encouraging, since it highlights their awareness of those issues within their squad, and willingness to try and solve them.

However, given Larin's goalscoring record is not exactly the most prolific, you have to wonder if there may be more appropriate alternatives out there for Leeds, especially if they are to be promoted to the Premier League for next season.