Leeds United likely to miss out as Benfica open talks over £7.5m deal

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Leeds United appear well-placed to secure the signature of Newcastle left-back Matt Targett before the transfer deadline early next week.

Thankfully so, given that one of the other left-sided full-backs under consideration at Elland Road now has an offer sitting on his table from a bonafide European footballing powerhouse.

If the battle to secure the services of Daniel Svensson was not fierce enough already – Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal scouted the Sweden international, according to reports in his homeland – Benfica have now stolen a march on their fellow suitors.

And with negotiations now underway, Leeds United may have picked the right time to shift their focus elsewhere.

Football correspondent Graeme Bailey exclusively told Leeds United News earlier this week that Leeds are long-time admirers of Matt Targett.

Leeds United linked Daniel Svensson in talks to join Benfica

A move to Elland Road could be sorted ‘pretty quickly’ for the former Aston Villa, Fulham and Southampton defender, given that he has slipped behind Lewis Hall and Dan Burn in Eddie Howe’s pecking order at St James’ Park.

Targett, a player who should be approaching his peak at the age of 29, would bring huge experience in the top two tiers of English football. He knows how promotion tastes – he sampled it’s delights with Fulham back in 2019 – and would represent a low-risk, possible low-cost replacement for the out-of-contract Junior Firpo.

Targett has just over a year left on his Newcastle deal.

Svensson will also be a free-agent in 2026 – albeit in December rather than July – but Danish outfit Nordsjaelland are still demanding a pretty sizeable sum.

Portuguese publication Record say that Svensson, younger but arguably riskier than Targett given that he is yet to play outside of Scandinavia, is valued at around £7.5 million.

Record adds that Benfica have begun negotiations. Svensson, if he ends up in Lisbon, will likely replace the seemingly Freiburg-bound former Heidenheim set-piece specialist Jan-Niklas Beste.

Of course, if Leeds were to step up their interest between now and the transfer deadline, a move to Elland Road could not be discounted.

Leeds, after all, should be a Premier League team again in a matter of months provided a repeat of last season’s play-off disappointment can be avoided.

Svensson ‘ready’ to leave Nordsjaelland as Leeds enter Matt Targett pursuit

By his own admission, Svensson plans to leave Denmark sooner rather than later. The former IF Brommapojkarna youngster also confirmed that Liverpool had made their interest known, though he is more interested in guaranteed playing time than he is the level of glamour at his potential destination.

“The idea is that I will move on relatively soon,” Svensson said last year. “The most important thing is that I get playing time. I want to continue developing. I do that by playing. The most important thing is that I come to a club that has a good plan for me.

“Which league it is, it doesn’t really matter. I have played many seasons in Denmark and, especially [in recent times], it has gone well. I’m absolutely ready.”

Targett, meanwhile, has started only seven Premier League matches since leaving Aston Villa – for whom he won the club’s Players’ Player of the Year award – and moved to Tyneside back in January 2023.

“Targett is one Leeds like and have liked for a long time,” Bailey explains. “Leeds need that left-sided cover. We don’t expect Firpo to stay at Leeds beyond the summer.

“It is one for the future, a long-term option. It wouldn’t surprise me [if Targett joins Leeds]. It’s not particularly advanced but Leeds have liked him for a while and it could be done pretty quickly if both sides push for it.”