Leeds United suffer new transfer blow as European club’s ‘best player’ decides to stay put

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Leeds United’s focus has now switched towards signing a new winger after completing the £19.9m arrival of German midfielder Anton Stach from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim.

Stach, 26, has put pen to paper on a four-year deal at Leeds, keeping him at Elland Road until 2029. Stach joins a side that had already brought in five new players, like fellow central midfielder Sean Longstaff.

Adam Underwood has sorted out the Leeds defence with Jaka Bijol, Sebastiaan Bornauw and left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson. Longstaff and Stach see Underwood complete his work in the Leeds engine room.

Now, focus switches to three key areas. A new goalkeeper, a replacement for Manor Solomon and a new striker to start ahead of Lukas Nmecha. But one player is now set to remove himself from the radar.

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Franck Honorat makes decision after being linked with Leeds

French ace Franck Honorat has spent two seasons at Gladbach after swapping France for Germany. Honorat moved to the Bundesliga after spells with Brest, Clermont, Nice, and other Ligue 1 sides.

The 28-year-old may have picked up a few injuries last season, but he still managed to have a hand in 14 goals in 21 games. In total, he’s had a hand in 32 goals in 56 games, playing with Max Wober in 2023-24.

Leeds were linked with Honorat at the start of the summer. Carlos Corberan has also shown interest in luring Honorat to Valencia, but now Foot Mercato say that Honorat is set to agree new deal until 2029.

Gladbach have been desperate to keep Honorat in Germany, with FM previously declaring Honorat as Gladbach’s ‘best player’. Little surprise, given the impact he had despite missing plenty of matches.

Leeds’ top target out wide is Feyenoord’s Igor Paixao

While Honorat has shown he can do it in two of Europe’s top-five leagues, Honorat is no stranger to injury and turns 29 in August. Leeds can certainly do better with the financial backing they possess.

Paixao seems to be the one Leeds want. The Whites are waiting eagerly to find out the result of talks between Marseille and Feyenoord, with Paixao said to have already agreed terms with Marseille.

Marseille have made a £24m bid, but Feyenoord want £30m. Leeds’ chances of signing Paixao hinge on whether Marseille can agree a fee and as things stand, it looks unlikely Paixao will move to France.