Money spent by teams across Europe these days is crazy, with £50million here and £100million there now more than common. For Leeds United, the days of that kind of spending might be a while away.
Having been in and out of the Premier League, Leeds United have spent their share of money in recent seasons, notably smashing their transfer record with the £35.5milion signing of Georginio Rutter in 2023.
But £35.5million is nothing to a lot of clubs. Teams at the top of the Premier League will regularly spend £100million on new players, and the future of football transfers only seems to be more expensive.
Leeds have been linked with some potential £10million deals in the build up to January. It’s reported that Leeds United are keen on Nico Elvedi who’s valued at £10million, whilst Atalanta’s Ben Godfrey is linked with a move to Elland Road, and he’ll likely command a similar fee following his £10million move from Everton in the summer.
One player Leeds could’ve signed for around £10million in the past is Viktor Gyokeres. Now, he’s worth £80million.
Man United could splash £80m on former Leeds United target Viktor Gyokeres
When at Coventry City, Leeds United were often linked with a move for Gyokeres, who began his career at Brighton but flourished with the Sky Blues, scoring 38 Championship goals in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons combined.
But Gyokeres sealed a £20million move to Sporting CP in the summer of 2023. Since, the Swedish international has scored 70 goals in 77 games, also recording 21 assists in what’s been an incredible stint in Portugal for the 26-year-old.
Now, Mirror report that Manchester United could spend £80million on Gyokeres on January, reuniting him with former Sporting boss Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford as the Red Devils’ struggle go on. As for Leeds, it may leave a sour taste.
Former Leeds United sporting director Victor Orta has since revealed that he turned down the chance to sign Gyokeres in a deal that could’ve cost the Whites as little as £11.7million.
49ers must avoid Viktor Gyokeres repeat with January target
Gyokeres’ story is an incredible one, and Leeds will want to avoid missing out on the same kind of goldmines going forward.
There’s one player who seems to fit the bill right now; Aston Villa’s Louie Barry. He’s back at Villa who want to sell Barry permanently in January, with a fee of £12.5million previously reported.
It might seem like a lot for a player who’s really only got half a prolific season at Stockport County under his belt. But he’s on the same trajectory as Gyokeres, and for Leeds and their owners, Barry could be a very shrewd investment for the club.
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