The breaking Leeds United transfer news at the weekend surrounded Barcelona midfielder Rafinha, with sources claiming that club officials were in talks to bring the Brazilian to Elland Road.
Sport reported that Leeds had agreed a £14.3 million fee for the Barcelona star, though an official agreement has yet to be confirmed. In addition, personal terms were also a potential stumbling block due to Rafinha’s wage demands.
Rafinha is undoubtedly talented but he has been deemed surplus to requirements at Camp Nou and reportedly favours a move to the Premier League, despite interest from the likes of Borussia Monchengladbach and Lazio.
However, the interest in Rafinha comes at a strange time considering Leeds are reportedly in advanced talks with Udinese for Rodrigo De Paul. While we reported that talks had stalled momentarily at the start of September, De Paul’s move was still expected to go through.
With some sources stating that Leeds have already agreed a £31 million bid for De Paul, fans are starting to worry that the sudden interest in Rafinha may mean that discussions with the Udinese man have officially broken down.
While nothing is confirmed at this moment in time, it is a stressful time for Leeds supporters ahead of their return to the Premier League. Follow the latest Leeds United player rumours on the 888sport blog throughout the summer transfer window.
Whites To Hijack Crystal Palace Bid For Gallagher
Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher has been strongly linked with a season-long loan move to Crystal Palace this summer but Leeds United are reportedly ready to swoop in with a late attempt to bring the youngster to Elland Road.
Gallagher was impressive during loan spells at Charlton Athletic and Swansea City last season, with his performances attracting attention at the highest level of English football.
The youngster has been on the books at Chelsea since 2008 but has yet to make his first team debut at Stamford Bridge and another loan move looks likely ahead of the 2020/21 Premier League campaign.
According to The Sun, Gallagher could opt to join Leeds this summer, with the opportunity to work under Marcelo Bielsa almost too good to turn down for the 20-year-old.
Leeds Goalkeeper Departing For Aberystwyth
Matthew Turner is set to join Aberystwyth Town on loan for the 2020/21 season, with the Welsh side offering the chance to play regular football in the Cymru Premier division.
Turner, who plays for Wales under-16s, hails from Llanelli and will continue to train with Leeds’ youth squad whilst spending time at Park Avenue on the Welsh west coast.
At the time of writing, Turner’s main competition for the number one jersey is Alex Pennock – though Aberystwyth may attempt to loan Connor Roberts from The New Saints for the second consecutive season.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Manu Fernandez / AP Photo*
