Leeds United are almost certain to bring in at least one centre-back as Daniel Farke pushes to upgrade the rearguard of his team in the summer window.
With Pascal Struij’s future at the club under the scanner, Leeds are in the market for a centre-back, and the club are looking at several options ahead of next season.
There has been a lot of talk about Leeds putting together a club-record deal for Sporting Lisbon’s Ousmane Diomande. But the club are keen to look at several other centre-backs.
Daniel Farke is known for his admiration for certain players whom he has been tracking for years, and it seems Leeds have gone back to an old Farke favourite.
Leeds United table bid for Nico Elvedi
Nico Elvedi was first linked with a move to Leeds in December 2014, and was heavily rumoured to be on his way to Elland Road last year.
Daniel Farke previously coached him at Borussia Monchengladbach and has been keen to take him to Leeds for more than 18 months now.
According to Bild, Leeds have now put in an offer worth £7m to take him to Elland Road in the ongoing transfer window.
The offer is not expected to cut the mustard, and Gladbach are pushing to get more money for the 29-year-old centre-back this summer.
Negotiations are ongoing between the two clubs, and they are hoping to reach a compromise over the transfer fee for the Swiss defender in the coming weeks.
Elvedi started in Switzerland’s first two World Cup group games and put in a couple of solid performances as the Swiss pushed towards the knockout rounds.
There are suggestions that there is an £8.67m release clause in his contract, and it appears Leeds are trying to do a deal for less than that figure.
Leeds need clarification on Pascal Struijk
Daniel Farke would ideally like Pascal Struijk to remain at Leeds United and play a key role in the club’s future, but the defender’s situation remains unresolved.
As the transfer window gathers pace, Leeds need a clearer picture of where things stand. Waiting until the final weeks of the window for Struijk to make a decision would leave the club in a difficult position, especially if they then have to rush into the market for a replacement.
Both Farke and the club’s decision-makers will want to know Struijk’s plans before pre-season begins next month. An early decision would allow Leeds to prepare accordingly and avoid unnecessary disruption to their summer plans.
Leeds can ill afford uncertainty surrounding one of their most influential players as they gear up for a new Premier League campaign. Whether Struijk chooses to stay or seek a new challenge elsewhere, the club would benefit greatly from having that answer as soon as possible.
