Leeds tell Serie A club how much they will have to pay for 19-year-old, loan deal off the cards

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Leeds United have told Salernitana they will have to pay £1.7 million to sign Leo Hjelde this summer.

That is according to Tutto Salernitana, who report Leeds have already turned down a loan deal with an option-to-buy of around £1.2 million.

It is said Leeds will not budge from their asking price of £1.7 million and will also not sanction a loan deal for the 19-year-old, which is what Salernitana would prefer.

The Serie A club reportedly have a ‘minimum budget’ to spend before the end of the window and are therefore unwilling to meet Leeds’ demands at this stage.

That said, Salernitana are expected to continue in their pursuit of Hjelde with the Norwegian U21s international having been linked throughout the summer.

Leeds tell Salernitana they will have to pay £1.7m for Hjelde

Leeds have already lost seven players from the squad on loan this summer and are clearly reluctant to lose another who could be around the first team.

Hjelde is one of few options available to Daniel Farke at left-back at the moment, having started both of Leeds’ opening two matches in all competitions.

However, Hjelde failed to impress in either of those games and was withdrawn at half-time in both, with Sam Byram now firmly ahead of him in the pecking order.

For Hjelde to be allowed to leave, Leeds will surely look to bring a left-back in of their own amid the fitness uncertainties surrounding Byram and Junior Firpo.

This is a saga that has refused to go away throughout the summer and may be one to keep an eye on still.