Huge boost as Leeds United target rules out surprise transfer and enters ‘contacts’ over Premier League switch

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Leeds United could have their next striker signing lined up after a player refused a move to South America.

Leeds United look to have turned their attentions to the final third of the pitch after signing the likes of Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach in midfield.

In fact, reports have claimed that Leeds United will now sign a new number 10, a new striker, and a new winger, with the latter looking as though it could be filled by Igor Paixao from Feyenoord.

Leeds United are working hard on signing Paixao from the Dutch side, though face strong and growing interest from Ligue 1 side Marseille.

Meanwhile, up front there have been a handful of names linked in the last week or so, including the likes of Callum Wilson. Another name mentioned is Mehdi Taremi at Inter Milan.

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Mehdi Taremi turns down transfer amid Leeds United links

Taremi, 33, currently plays for Inter Milan, but the Iranian international is set to leave Italy this summer after a failed season with the Nerazzurri last time round, scoring just three goals in 45 total games.

Leeds United have been linked with Taremi, but on Thursday, reports revealed that Brazilian side Botafogo were plotting a move to sign Taremi and to bring him to South America, where former Leeds United manager target Davide Ancelotti is in charge. However, journalist Orazio Accomando has now revealed on X that, ‘despite the interest from Botafogo’, Taremi is in fact ‘not open to the destination’.

Accomando adds that ‘ongoing contacts between the entourage and two Premier League teams are taking place without naming Leeds United, although Leeds are one of the Premier League teams’ linked with a move for the 55-goal Iranian international this summer.

Links to Taremi come amid a wave of uncertainty in the Leeds United striking department, which could see both Mateo Joseph and Patrick Bamford leave.

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Leeds United now have golden chance to sign key transfer target

Whilst Leeds United have been linked with a number of players this summer, there have generally been very few strikers linked with a move to Elland Road. Wilson is one who has been linked throughout, and Taremi is an emerging target for Daniel Farke.

But one player who has been linked throughout the year is Josh Sargent at Norwich City. Farke worked with Sargent at Carrow Road previously.

The German was the one who brought him to England from Werder Bremen in 2021, and last season Sargent scored an impressive 15 goals in just 32 Championship matches for the Canaries.

Going into this summer, Leeds saw their links to Sargent reignited, but it looked as though he was set to seal a move to Germany with Wolfsburg.

However, reports this week have revealed that Sargent turned down the chance to join Wolfsburg in a deal that would have cost £16.5m, and that could well prompt Leeds United to make their move as striker options really start to dwindle.

Sargent may not excite the fans all that much, but the fact is that he scored a lot of goals last season, and he scored a lot more than Taremi who’s not only inexperienced in England, but now 33 years old, and likely on much higher wages than Sargent too.

For Leeds, it could be a good option in both the medium and potentially the long term.