Leeds United remain in the hunt for another signing before the deadline after completing a £10m deal to sign James Justin, with the emphasis now on signing an attacker.
Justin’s arrival at Elland Road sees Leeds complete their tenth signing of the summer window. It has seen Leeds take their spending beyond the £100m mark, to a total of £108.5m without any sales this summer.
An impressive window by all accounts, without any real star quality – Anton Stach, aside. Daniel Farke has been public in making it clear he wants more in attack, despite the £18m arrival of winger Noah Okafor.
Leeds have also signed two strikers in Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, both on free transfers. The belief is that Farke now wants a versatile attacker, one that can play out wide, up top or even as a 10.
Leeds still have Dilane Bakwa hope as Strasbourg provide reply
Strasbourg star Bakwa has been strongly linked with a move to Leeds all summer and in the last few days, that has intensified. But a deal for the 22-year-old is proving to be incredibly expensive for any buyer.
French media state that Leeds remain interested, but that it is Nottingham Forest who are pushing more than anyone. L’Equipe say Forest have tabled a third offer, worth £30.25m for Bakwa, but it was rejected.
It hands Leeds some hope in the chase to sign Bakwa, but realistically, Leeds are going to have to break their transfer record to land the winger – or, go incredibly close to the £35.5m spent on Georginio Rutter.
Bakwa does not fit the profile of what Farke wants this week
Bakwa is an out-and-out winger. But Leeds already have four of those, five if Largie Ramazani makes a surprise last-minute move and pulls out of a loan to Valencia. Ramazani could play for Valencia on Friday.
Farke is keen to bring in a player who offers versatility, a player like Juventus’ Argentina international Nico Gonzalez. A main man for Stuttgart and Fiorentina before an indifferent season with Juventus last term.
Leeds may have to spend more than the £32m fee Sunderland paid Strasbourg for Habib Diarra. Is it worth splashing so much on Bakwa, when they could sign a proven option in £26m-rated Gonzalez?
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
