Leeds United target Bright Osayi-Samuel agrees £2.12m-a-year deal with next club after Fenerbahce stand-off

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Bright Osayi-Samuel is someone who Leeds United have wanted to sign for a long time. But Daniel Farke can finally say goodbye to those hopes.

Leeds United are in dire need of some full-back additions this summer and Bright Osayi-Samuel has long been wanted for a move to Elland Road.

Going into the summer and into the 2025/26 Premier League season, Daniel Farke has just a handful of both left and right-backs, and there’s the ongoing saga surrounding Junior Firpo to deal with.

Leeds United have offered Firpo a new contract to stay beyond this summer. But the Dominican has suitors across Europe and he seems as though he has his heart set on a move to Real Betis.

And there seems to be a growing number of left-backs linked alongside Elland Road as the Firpo saga drags on: Leeds United are now interested in signing Alex Moreno from Aston Villa, with Atletico Madrid left-back Reinildo Mandava now a transfer target for Leeds United too.

On the right, there’s really only Jayden Bogle and Isaac Schmidt. And for the time being it looks like it’ll only be those two.

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Bright Osayi-Samuel agrees to join Besiktas

Last summer, Leeds United made a bid to sign Osayi-Samuel from Fenerbahce. It was rejected, and the Nigerian international remained with Jose Mourinho’s side for the 2024/25 season where he racked up 25 Super Lig appearances, without scoring or claiming an assist.

Now, multiple sources in both Turkey and Osayi-Samuel’s native Nigeria are reporting that the 27-year-old has agreed a deal to sign for Besiktas on a free transfer. It’s understood that the former QPR man has signed a deal worth €2.5million-a-year (£2.12million-a-year) and that confirmation of the move is imminent.

Earlier in the summer, it was reported that Crystal Palace offered a contract to Osayi-Samuel, reportedly worth £75,000-a-week. This Besiktas deal will see him earn little over £40,000-a-week, if the numbers are to be believed that is.

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Leeds United have dodged a bullet with Bright Osayi-Samuel

Mourinho was desperate to keep Osayi-Samuel at Fenerbahce. The Turkish giants offered him multiple contracts to stay but it seems as though he wanted out. But moving to Besiktas seems like a bit of a sideways step, especially when he had offers to return to England.

But speaking earlier in the summer, Osayi-Samuel said he was happy at Fenerbahce and seemingly happy in Turkey. Nonetheless, it’s done and dusted now and Osayi-Samuel will join Besiktas, and Leeds United will move on.

Though Osayi-Samuel’s stats aren’t all that impressive, especially when considering how prolific the likes of Bogle and Firpo were in the full-back positions for Leeds United last season.

In 178 games for Fenerbahce, Osayi-Samuel scored seven and assisted 15 more. Last season, Bogle scored six himself and assisted four, whilst Firpo scored four and assisted 10.