Leeds United may have just hinted that they won’t be signing Rodrigo Muniz either, after Igor Paixao failure

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After the arrival of Anton Stach, all the signs were there for Leeds United to lure a trio of Brazilians to Elland Road – in goal, on the left flank and up front.

Graham Smyth reported that Lucas Perri, Igor Paixao and Rodrigo Muniz were being lined-up as the next three signings, sorting out all the priorities Leeds needed to solve in the transfer window this summer.

Perri has joined for a £15.6m fee from Lyon, but the pursuit of Paixao has ended in failure. Marseille have agreed a £30m move with Feyenoord, with Paixao always preferring a move to Roberto De Zerbi’s side.

Muniz remains a tricky one, given Fulham’s £50m price tag. A fee far higher than the £32m bid Leeds made for Muniz in June. Now, Leeds have hinted that they have moved on from trying to sign Muniz.

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Leeds make enquiry for another striker, £20m cheaper than Muniz

There is no criticism to be had in choosing not to splash £50m on one player, having only just returned to the Premier League. Muniz is a top-quality forward at this level, but can Leeds really justify £50m now?

Leeds have been shopping in the £10m-£20m market so far and while more is expected to be spent on a new left-winger and a striker, £50m is a bridge too far for a side only just promoted back to the top tier.

That may be the case with Leeds and Muniz, and the latest reports hint at Leeds moving on from a move for the Fulham ace. Indeed, reports in Italy say Leeds have made an enquiry for Roma’s Artem Dovbyk.

Roma are open to his sale to fund a move for Man United’s Rasmus Hojlund. They want £30m, the same amount they paid Girona last summer. But Leeds moving for another striker hints at looking past Muniz.

Adam Underwood may have tried to convince Fulham with a fee above Leeds’ initial offer, potentially a club-record sale, but Fulham’s initial price tag is so high that a compromise was always unlikely to find.

Leeds’ move for Dovbyk is a sign that Underwood may have come to that conclusion, that Muniz is simply too expensive. If it is Dovbyk that Leeds sign, is unclear, but it shows Leeds are looking beyond Muniz.

How Artem Dovbyk and Rodrigo Muniz compare, the numbers

While Dobvyk might be four years older than Muniz at 28, he has only really hit the big time in the last few seasons. The Ukraine star struggled in Denmark with Midtjylland, where he suffered a cruciate injury.

A return to Dnipro in 2020 saw him scored 54 goals in 86 games. Girona came calling in 2023, and his 24 goals and 10 assists in 39 games helped the Spanish side qualify for the Champions League last season.

His £30m Roma move saw him net 17 more goals, but Roma are unconvinced. Meanwhile, Muniz has a rate of one goal every three games in the Premier League with Fulham and that rate is getting better.