Leeds United signed Noah Okafor in August after missing out on a couple of their top targets. However, the 25-year-old winger has settled well at Elland Road and has quickly emerged as one of the most important players in Daniel Farke’s squad.
Okafor’s injury issues over the last season or two and his performances at Napoli in the latter half of the 2024/25 campaign raised question marks about Leeds’ rationale to sign the winger in the summer.
However, the Swiss winger has provided an appropriate reply to his detractors with his performances on the pitch. He has scored twice already this season and has looked like one of Leeds’ most potent attackers.
The winger’s success early in the season has encouraged Leeds to look for more players in Serie, and they are plotting a move to sign a top attacking midfielder on a free transfer in the winter transfer window.
Leeds United plot January free transfer swoop for 31-year-old Serie A star
Piotr Zielinski has been on Leeds’ radar, with Inter Milan keen to get rid of him when the transfer window reopens in January.
The 31-year-old attacking midfielder has been reduced to a bit-part role in the Inter squad and was an unused substitute in their last three Serie A games.
Leeds are interested in taking him to Elland Road as signing an attacking midfielder is expected to be one of their priorities in the winter window.
However, according to InterLive, Leeds are eyeing signing him on a free transfer in January.
It has been claimed that the Whites are either looking to sign him on loan or on a free transfer in the winter window.
Zielinski’s contract runs until 2028, but Leeds are hoping Inter will terminate the deal to let him leave as a free agent in January.
For the moment, Inter do not have any such plans, but his exit is seen as a key to allow them some financial leeway in their books.
He is on a deal worth £3.5m per year, and Inter want to offload those wages in the winter window. This is what is encouraging Leeds to try and convince the Serie A giants to let him on a free transfer.
PSR is the limiting factor for Leeds
Leeds managing director Robbie Evans admitted in September that the club maxed out their PSR for the season in the summer, which means they will have to sell to buy in January.
The club do not have the financial headroom in their budget to spend big in January, and therefore, they are looking at bargains in the market.
Leeds’ interest in Zielinski stems from the fact that Napoli are keen to move him on, and they are banking on the club being desperate enough to let him leave as a free agent.
They are considering players who are either running out their contracts or are out of favour at their current clubs, and it is strictly the financial reality for Leeds ahead of the winter window.
Can you name these 10 former Leeds United strikers?
zielinski 31year old. no no no,this is not the way forward.