Graham Smyth says Leeds United to miss out on a second forward after Igor Paixao

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Leeds United have been frustrated in the 49ers’ pursuit of a number of attacking players so far in the summer transfer window.

Graham Smyth has explained ambitious ‘reach’ signings are still a part of Leeds United’s transfer strategy, as the club are now targeting forwards to end the transfer window.

Following the 1-1 draw with Villarreal, that fact was reiterated by Daniel Farke, who wants forwards to bolster Leeds ahead of September 2nd.

In many ways, Leeds and the 49ers have delivered on Farke’s post-season requests from 2024/25. However, Leeds’ failure to land Igor Paixao ahead of Olympique Marseille has stung.

However, news has since landed that Leeds missed out on yet another forward player. There are less than 26 days left in the window in order to conduct business and complete deals, too.

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Ritsu Doan emerges as a serious Leeds target via Graham Smyth

One other player Leeds have missed out is SC Freiburg’s Ritsu Doan. We suggested that Doan be someone Leeds consider last month, given his ability to operate as a winger or No.10.

The Japanese international playmaker is a teammate of Ao Tanaka’s. Alongside Kaoru Mitoma and Takefusa Kubo, Doan is one of the best players in this exciting Asian side, and he would be perfect for Leeds.

Having just enjoyed the best season of his career, Doan’s stock is at an all-time high. He scored or assisted 19 goals in 36 games in all competitions, having managed at least 12 in each of his other seasons with Freiburg to date.

Smyth of The Yorkshire Evening Post spoke via his newsletter and delivered the information on Doan. He wrote: “The intention was there to spend a huge amount of money on a left winger until Igor Paixao said no.

“The YEP understands that among their other targets they looked at SC Freiburg’s Ritsu Doan, who would have cost €20m or upwards, and liked what they saw.

“But Champions League side Eintracht Frankfurt are close to completing that deal. The money is there, the intention appears to be as well.

“Intentions are one thing, completed signings are another. Deals are complicated, they can take time and they can quickly unravel.”

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Fabrizio Romano reveals details of Ritsu Doan’s Eintracht Frankfurt move as Leeds miss out

Of course, this information is from Smyth’s newsletter and isn’t out there from the likes of Fabrizio Romano and Florian Plettenberg, but that pair have covered Doan’s move across the Bundesliga extensively.

Romano confirmed today that Doan will cost a €21 million fixed fee plus around €1 million in add-ons. You have to imagine that Leeds could afford such a package of around £19 million, and that Champions League football was the problem.

In fact, since that reveal, one LUN source has admitted he was never really available as an option to Leeds after Frankfurt’s interest got increasingly serious, even if they cast admiring eyes over Doan.