Daniel Farke wants to add a versatile left-sided forward to his Leeds United squad before the summer transfer window closes on September 1.
Chelsea have rejected two loan offers from Leeds for Mykhailo Mudryk and have since ended talks over a potential move for the Ukrainian to Elland Road.
However, the Whites remain open to reviving negotiations and believe Mudryk is very keen on joining Leeds rather than moving to France, where Strasbourg are also interested.
Leeds have also been exploring other options on the left, including AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, and there has now been a fresh development in the ongoing transfer saga surrounding the Portuguese winger.
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Aston Villa close in on signing Leeds United target
AC Milan are looking to sell the winger before the summer transfer window closes as they aim to raise funds, and Leeds are among the clubs who have been offered the chance to sign him.
The Whites are seriously considering making a move for the Portuguese forward as they look to add more quality and creativity to their attack before the deadline.
However, Leeds now face competition from Aston Villa, who have entered the race for Leao during the final week of the window.
The Midlands club have held initial talks with AC Milan to explore the possibility of bringing the forward in before the transfer window closes.
And according to Italian outlet Calciomercato.com, AC Milan have given the green light to Aston Villa to pursue a deal to sign Leao before next week’s transfer deadline.
The two clubs will now hold more talks in the coming days with a view to reaching an agreement for Villa to sign the winger this summer.
Leao is open to a Premier League switch, and the Midlands club are now the favourites to sign the AC Milan forward in the coming days.
Galatasaray have offered a lucrative contract to Leao, but they do not have an agreement in place with the Serie A giants.
The Rossoneri have set an asking price of around £50m for the winger.
Leeds must focus on the holes in their squad rather than chase luxury signings
Daniel Farke clearly wants to add a left-sided attacker to his squad, and Leeds’ interest in players such as Rafael Leao, Mykhailo Mudryk and Igor Paixao shows the kind of attacking profile the manager is looking for.
However, there are more pressing issues to address. Leeds urgently need cover in several areas, with left-back arguably the biggest priority given Gabriel Gudmundsson’s injury.
The Whites also still need a reliable back-up goalkeeper and another striker, while a move for Leao now appears increasingly unlikely.
A player like Leao or Mudryk would certainly add another spark to the attack, but Leeds need to make sure the important positions are covered before spending big on what could be considered a luxury addition.
Please Villa take Leao. Not wanted in Leeds (IMHO) – problematic player who plays well only at occasions and when suits him. No wonder Milan want to sell him.