Leeds United are pushing to upgrade the squad after finishing 14th in the Premier League last season. They are keen to bring in players of real quality who are going to be ‘difference-makers’.
Daniel Farke has demanded to see more ambition from the Leeds board as he seeks to take the squad to the next level over the course of the upcoming transfer window.
Leeds could lose Pascal Struijk, who has a year left on his contract, and is considering seeking a fresh challenge this summer. They would need a defender of real quality to replace him.
And it seems Leeds are moving to sign a top centre-back who is wanted by several clubs in the Premier League and Europe in the upcoming transfer window.
Read more: Leeds move gathers pace as club prepare record bid for Champions League star
Leeds secure verbal agreement with Ousmane Diomande
Ousmane Diomande has been heavily linked with a move away from Sporting Lisbon after a solid season, where he looked good in the Champions League.
Leeds have shown an interest in signing the 22-year-old centre-back in the upcoming transfer window, and they have made a concrete move to take him to Elland Road.
According to Portuguese journalist Christian Vaquero, Leeds have reached an agreement in principle with Diomande and his camp over a potential transfer.
🚨 El Leeds United, en negociaciones con Sporting CP por Diomande.
🤝 Acuerdo VERBAL con el jugador.
💰 Sporting CP no quiere bajar de los 45M€ por el central.
🔜 Negociaciones en tramo final… pic.twitter.com/zo2d7RwI71
— Christian Vaquero (@ChristianVaq0) June 10, 2026
The centre-back has verbally agreed to join Leeds, subject to the club reaching an agreement over a fee with Sporting Lisbon this summer.
Leeds are in talks with the Portuguese giants over a deal, but there is work to do in finalising a deal with Sporting.
They do not want anything less than £39m before agreeing to sell Diomande in the upcoming transfer window.
Leeds may have to pay a club-record fee to make a real statement by signing the Sporting Lisbon centre-back this summer.
This would be a major statement in the market
Daniel Farke is determined to push Leeds United forward and believes the squad needs further quality if the club are to continue progressing in the Premier League.
With uncertainty surrounding Pascal Struijk’s future, Leeds cannot afford to wait indefinitely for a decision. A move for Ousmane Diomande would not only address that situation but also send a strong message about the club’s ambitions.
Signing the Sporting Lisbon defender would represent a significant upgrade in a key area of the squad and could ultimately accelerate any decision Struijk makes regarding his own future.
It would also be a major statement in the transfer market. Diomande is attracting interest from several high-profile clubs, so convincing him to move to Elland Road would underline Leeds’ intent to compete at a higher level in the seasons ahead.
Well if this really is true and Leeds are also bidding on Natan from Real Betis apparently you can wave farewell to Rodon and Strujk