Leeds United have made signing a new centre-back one of their biggest priorities this summer, with Daniel Farke eager to fill the void left by Pascal Struijk’s departure.
Struijk completed his move to Brighton at the end of last month in a deal worth up to ÂŁ18m. Although many Leeds supporters felt the fee undervalued the defender, the club believed they had little choice but to cash in.
Once it became obvious the Dutchman would not sign a new contract, Leeds decided to sanction the sale, which also helped improve their PSR position before the end of June.
The Whites have been assessing several defensive options in recent weeks, but one target has now emerged as the clear favourite to replace Struijk at Elland Road.
Read More: Adam Pope reveals if Leeds United deal is imminent
Fabrizio Romano drops update on Leeds United defender target
Leeds United’s pursuit of Tarik Muharemovic is beginning to gather real momentum, with reports from Italy suggesting a deal is moving in the right direction.
The Whites are believed to be in advanced discussions with the Sassuolo defender’s representatives and are understood to have agreed to the 23-year-old’s wage demands.
With personal terms no longer expected to be an issue, Leeds are now preparing to submit their opening offer to Sassuolo for the Bosnia and Herzegovina international.
Fabrizio Romano broke the story exclusively over the weekend about Leeds entering the race to sign the defender amid interest from Sunderland and Bournemouth.
The well-known transfer source has now added to his own reporting and indicated that Leeds are making advances in the deal to sign the centre-back.
According to the Italian journalist, the defender has now opened the door to a move to Elland Road in the ongoing summer transfer window.
The club are in direct contact with Sassuolo as they seek to secure an agreement over a fee to take Muharemovic to Elland Road this summer.
🚨🟡🔵 More on Tarik Muharemović and Leeds United exclusive story.
Talks continue on club to club side as the Bosnian defender has opened doors to the move, as revealed.
Negotiations underway over fee but #LUFC confident. pic.twitter.com/PbnC5gEzE0
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 14, 2026
English sources are being more cautious about
For now, most of the noise surrounding Leeds United’s interest in Tarik Muharemovic is coming from Italy, where reports suggest the move is gathering momentum.
Closer to home, though, the picture is a little more cautious. Adam Pope has stressed that no deal is close, while Beren Cross has indicated that Leeds are yet to make a formal move for the Sassuolo defender.
If the Whites are serious about signing Muharemovic, they may not have much time to spare. Sunderland and Bournemouth are both pushing to land the 23-year-old, and both clubs can offer European football, something Leeds are currently unable to match.
That makes it crucial for Leeds to win the player over quickly before turning their focus to negotiating with Sassuolo, who are believed to be holding out for a fee in the region of ÂŁ34m.
