Leeds United are expected to be active in the final week of the window with a deal for James Justin close, and The Whites still expected to pursue a new attacker before next Monday’s deadline.
Justin is set to join Leeds and will become the club’s tenth summer signing, taking spending north of £100m. But Leeds aren’t done there yet, with many outgoings and more attacking additions considered.
One attacking option that the club remains interested in is Strasbourg winger Dilane Bakwa. The 22-year-old has been a key player under Liam Rosenior, helping Strasbourg qualify for Europe last season.
Bakwa has been strongly linked with a move to Leeds over the last month, with Beren Cross stating the Strasbourg ace remains an option. Now, a new update has emerged over Bakwa’s future this summer.
Leeds told just how much Dilane Bakwa will cost this week
For both of Strasbourg’s opening Ligue 1 games, Bakwa has been benched. But in both, he has come off the bench to lay on the assist in 1-0 wins against Metz and then Nantes, with Strasbourg two from two.
Nottingham Forest also want Bakwa, with Bakwa not particularly keen on a move to Leeds. But a report from L’Equipe on Monday says that Leeds remain in the hunt, before saying how much Strasbourg want.
The report claims that Strasbourg may receive more than they did for Habib Diarra. Leeds made a £22m bid for Diarra, but he joined Sunderland for a whopping £32m, according to the L’Equipe report today.
It is claimed that the £32m fee includes bonuses and Strasbourg want at least, £30.3m for Bakwa. But, that a fee for the winger could actually go higher than Diarra’s transfer fee, a near club-record deal for Leeds.
Daniel Farke wants an attacker, but does he really need one?
With the signing of Noah Okafor, Leeds now have four options up front excluding Harry Gray and then Patrick Bamford. Namely, Joel Piroe, Lukas Nmecha, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Okafor if required.
Out wide, Leeds will have four options with Largie Ramazani set to leave for Valencia. Jack Harrison has returned, Dan James and Willy Gnonto are starting options and Okafor has now come into the mix.
So, Leeds have four wingers and four strikers. But Farke wants another that can do a bit of both. Bakwa is only known to play out wide and Farke would prefer a player like Juventus star Nico Gonzalez, this week.
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
