Leeds United are in the market for a new centre-back following Pascal Struijk’s move to Brighton earlier in the summer.
The Whites had little choice but to sanction the Dutchman’s departure once it became clear he had no intention of signing a new contract. With Leeds also needing to balance the books before the end of June, the transfer made financial sense for the club.
Despite reports suggesting Daniel Farke could revert to a back four next season, strengthening the heart of the defence remains a key priority.
Replacing Struijk is high on Leeds’ agenda, with Farke keen to have a new centre-back through the door as early as possible this summer. However, it may cost more than they would have anticipated.
Read More: Fabrizio Romano confirms Leeds United move for World Cup centre-back
Leeds United face paying a club record fee for top target
There has been a lot of chatter around Leeds United’s interest in Sassuolo centre-back Tarik Muharemovic since Saturday evening, when the first reports emerged.
Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Leeds have joined the race to sign the 23-year-old centre-back amid interest from Sunderland and Juventus.
Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth added to the Italian’s reporting, insisting that Leeds may find it hard to sign the defender this summer.
Italian outlet Tutto Mercato has made further claims around the centre-back later on Saturday evening.
It claimed Sunderland are prepared to offer as much as £35m to sign the defender from Sassuolo in the ongoing summer transfer window.
Leeds may have to smash their transfer record if they are to beat Sunderland to Muharemovic’s signature before the start of the new season.
Another complication for Leeds is that the defender would prefer a move to Juventus, who hold a 50 per cent sell-on clause on him.
Sassuolo could spark an auction for Tarik Muharemovic
Daniel Farke is eager to bring in a centre-back with a similar profile to Pascal Struijk, who was such an important part of his Leeds United side over the past few seasons.
The Leeds boss wants a left-footed defender who is comfortable playing out from the back, and Tarik Muharemovic ticks all the right boxes.
The 23-year-old enhanced his reputation with an impressive season in Italy and followed that up with a series of assured displays for Bosnia and Herzegovina at the World Cup.
With Sunderland prepared to spend heavily, Sassuolo are in a strong position to drive up Muharemovic’s price by encouraging a bidding war.
That leaves Leeds with a decision to make. If they are serious about signing the defender, they may have to act quickly and decide whether they are willing to match the escalating demands.
