Leeds United may still be reeling after missing out on Igor Paixao to Marseille, but it looks like the 49ers could have a much cheaper alternative on the horizon.
Last week, Leeds United were pushing hard to sign Igor Paixao from Feyenoord. The Brazilian winger shone in the Eredivisie with Feyenoord last season scoring 16 goals and assisting 10 more, prompting a transfer battle for his signature this summer.
Leeds United and Marseille were battling to sign Paixao, but in the end it was the Ligue 1 side who have agreed a deal to sign the 25-year-old for a fee believed to be around the £30m mark.
For Leeds, it leaves an ongoing void in the side. A new winger is needed after Manor Solomon returned to Spurs and Daniel Farke is running out of time to sign a new one before the start of next season.
But after Marseille signed Paixao, the French club may pass up on a deal for Leeds United transfer target Timothy Weah at Juventus.
Marseille refusing to budge for Leeds United transfer target Timothy Weah
Earlier in the summer, Leeds United and Everton were both linked with Weah, but the link quietened down somewhat until Weah’s name came back into transfer headlines just last week: the 25-year-old right-sided winger is expected to leave Juve this summer after scoring just five in 30 Serie A games last season.
It was reported that Marseille were trying to sign Paixao and Weah, but the latest coming out of Italy from Alfredo Pedulla is that Marseille are refusing to budge on their €13million valuation of the USMNT winger.
The news comes days after Weah turned down a move to Nottingham Forest in what would have been a double deal for the Premier League side, leaving Weah in limbo with Juventus trying to offload the 25-year-old before the summer transfer window shuts on September 1st.
Do Leeds United already have their answer on the right wing?
Leeds United have wanted to re-sign Solomon throughout the summer, but it looks like the Israeli international is staying at Tottenham for the time being. Though things could quickly change, especially if Thomas Frank signs a new winger for his side.
For Farke, the search for a new right-sided player may not be so pressing as the fans might think. Already, he has a capable player in Wilfried Gnonto and another in Largie Ramazani who can both share the right wing position next season, but it could be Gnonto who makes a somewhat unexpected return to the limelight at Elland Road next season.
Leeds United fans were impressed with Gnonto’s performance in the pre-season friendly against Manchester United earlier in the month. He remains only 21 years old and scored nine goals last season despite only starting 26 games.
A player still with bags of potential and ability, the stage could be set for Gnonto to really reignite his Leeds United career and really start to fulfil his unlimited potential with the club next season.
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