This summer, Leeds United have proved they are willing to spend big on new signings. The Whites are not in the market for backup players; they want improvement in the starting XI. A goalkeeper is next.
Daniel Farke has finally signed a no.10 having failed to do so during his entire Leeds tenure until January, with the loan signing of Facundo Buonanotte. That flopped, but Leeds now have Harry Wilson at the club.
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With Pascal Struijk exiting, Leeds have moved quickly to beat Bournemouth and Sunderland to the £34m addition of Tarik Muharemovic from Sassuolo. Leeds’ deal for the World Cup star has impressed fans.
Now, Leeds’ priority has got to be the addition of a new goalkeeper after Karl Darlow left Elland Road for Man United. Lucas Perri and Alex Cairns remain the only two shot-stoppers, with Illan Meslier at Arsenal.
Leeds still have £26m bid on table, but Zion Suzuki hopes fade
One option for Leeds is Zion Suzuki. Ao Tanaka’s Japan teammate has been linked with Leeds for much of the summer, with Italian media pushing a deal. However, Graham Smyth says a deal is not that advanced.
Suzuki has starred in Serie A with Parma, and produced four solid outings at the World Cup before Japan were knocked out by Brazil. Tanaka was partly to blame, giving the ball away for Brazil’s very late winner.
Now, an update. Italian reporter Luca Cerchione claims a £26m bid plus add-ons remains on the table for the Parma star from Leeds, while Juventus have bid less. Parma are delaying a response to the Whites.
He said on X: “Suzuki will return to Parma tomorrow, and serious planning for his future will begin. The Emilian club is asking for 40 million euros to release him. To date, two official offers have arrived.
“One for 30 million euros plus bonuses from Leeds, and the other; 25 million plus bonuses from Juventus. Currently, both have been deemed too low by Parma. Starting tomorrow, things will get serious.”
But Leeds’ hopes are fading. That is because The Athletic claim Newcastle United have discussed Suzuki internally, with Aaron Ramsdale’s loan with the Toon coming to an end. A move north may suit Suzuki.
Zion Suzuki or James Trafford? The goalkeeper merry-go-round
Another name that has been mentioned as a target for Leeds is Man City’s back-up goalkeeper James Trafford. The England star is now likely to consider his future after the World Cup came to an end.
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Leeds would love to sign Trafford, a player that they could not score against either at home or away during Leeds’ promotion season in 2024-25. But Newcastle are also considering a move for Trafford.
Newcastle have been linked with Trafford for a while, and there was an expectation he would move to the Toon last summer. Instead, he joined City before Pep Guardiola called Gianluigi Donnarumma.
It feels as if either Newcastle or Leeds will sign Trafford this summer, if City are willing to sanction his departure. The loser of that battle may then go after Suzuki, with the Premier League a month away.
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