Noel Whelan says he has seen "massive improvement" in Leeds United striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga in recent weeks.
The German striker has split opinion amongst Whites fans since he joined on loan from Hamburg last summer and there were intense calls for Leeds to sign another goalscorer in the January transfer window in a clear indication Lasogga was not seen as capable of powering a promotion push.
Leeds did sign a striker, in the shape of Tyler Roberts, but with more of a nod to the future and the teenager has not yet played due to injury.
But Lasogga has improved in recent weeks, Whelan feels, with the German scoring three times in the Whites' last four Championship games.
And he insists the German's efforts have not gone unnoticed.
relatedNewsStory
"I see a massive improvement in Lasogga", Whelan said on BBC Radio Leeds.
"He is working defenders, not just standing there, he's running them into the channels.
"He's running at players more, he's holding the ball up. There seems to be new breed of confidence in the man.
"He knows he's not got blistering pace and isn't going to run past people. But what he is doing is turning bad balls into good balls.
"He is showing that willingness, closing down people, and it doesn't go unnoticed", he added.
Leeds are next in action away at Middlesbrough on Friday night, before then hosting league leaders Wolves the following Wednesday.
