Leeds United took a significant step towards completing their second signing of the summer on Tuesday after agreeing a deal with Sassuolo for defender Tarik Muharemovic.
The 23-year-old has been identified as Daniel Farke’s top choice to replace Pascal Struijk, who left for Brighton earlier in the transfer window.
Now that the two clubs have settled on a £34m transfer fee, Leeds’ focus has shifted to finalising Muharemovic’s personal terms before he travels to England for his medical and to complete the transfer soon.
Personal terms are not expected to pose any issues, with Leeds already having reached an agreement over the framework of a contract with the defender’s representatives.
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Tarik Muharemovic will sign a lucrative deal at Leeds United
Leeds had to overcome significant competition from Premier League rivals Bournemouth and Sunderland before agreeing on a deal with Sassuolo.
They worked hard behind the scenes to convince the defender and his camp to agree to a move to Elland Road over clubs with European football.
According to Italian journalist Luca Cerchione, Tarik Muharemovic will sign a five-year contract with Leeds after completing the transfer formalities.
He is set to earn somewhere around £3m per year at Elland Road. However, it is important to note that this will be his net salary after taxes.
The club’s actual cost will be significantly higher because it must also cover income tax and social contributions. A £3m net salary will cost Leeds around £5m to £6m gross.
It is certain Muharemovic is going to become the highest-paid player at Leeds, surpassing Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is on a £5.2m gross salary.
Leeds have pushed the envelope both in terms of transfer fee and wages to ensure they secured a top-class replacement for Struijk this summer.
The Whites need one more defender after the Bosnian’s arrival
Tarik Muharemovic’s imminent arrival will address one of Daniel Farke’s biggest concerns, with the Bosnian set to fill the void left by Pascal Struijk’s departure.
But Leeds’ pursuit of another centre-back is no surprise, as they could still lose a defender before the transfer window closes.
Sebastiaan Bornauw is expected to seek a move away from Elland Road after struggling for regular game time during his first season at the club.
The Belgian has attracted interest from Germany, and Leeds are eager to line up his replacement before giving the green light to his departure later this summer.
