Leeds United could be ready to spend another chunk of money in the transfer market, after recently getting a deal for Jaka Bijol over the line.
This summer, Leeds United have a £150million transfer budget to bolster the team with, ahead of what is going to be a gruelling 2025/26 season in the Premier League.
Daniel Farke looks set to smash Leeds United’s club record transfer this summer, which remains the £35million signing of Georginio Rutter in 2023, with links to a number of players who could cost that much.
One such name is Rodrigo Muniz. It’s claimed that Leeds United are ready to pay £35million to sign Muniz this summer in what could be a marquee signing, along with that of Jaka Bijol.
After completing their first signing of the summer with a free move for Lukas Nmecha, Leeds United agreed a deal to sign Jaka Bijol from Udinese for a £19million transfer fee.
The links keep on coming and coming at Elland Road and now we have a new player to keep an eye on, with news of a potential summer transfer exit having quickly gathered speed.
Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika playing against RSC Anderlecht.
Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images
Raphael Onyedika expected to leave Club Brugge amid links to Leeds United
On Wednesday, we exclusively revealed that Club Brugge and Nigeria midfielder Raphael Onyedika is a transfer target for Leeds United this summer. The 24-year-old holding midfielder has been mentioned heavily alongside West Ham, but it’s understood that Leeds have also taken a look at signing the Brugge man this summer.
And just hours after we revealed the news, reports in Belgium surfaced which stated that Onyedika is bound to leave his current club this summer. Voetbal Nieuws state that Onyedika’s exit from Club Brugge is a ‘foregone conclusion’ and simply ‘a matter of finding out where and for how much’.
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Brugge signed the 16-cap Nigerian international from Danish side FC Midtjylland in 2022 for a reported fee of €10million (£8.55million). An earlier report from Telegraph revealed how Onyedika is now a £25million player.
Raphael Onyedika’s stats for Club Brugge in 24/25 vs Joe Rothwell
Leeds didn’t have an out-and-out holding midfielder last season. Joe Rothwell was perhaps the man who filled that role best with Ao Tanaka getting forward more and Ethan Ampadu often having to fill in at centre-back.
Rothwell has returned to Bournemouth following an impressive loan spell, and he certainly leaves a bit of a void in midfield which Onyedika could yet fill this summer.
Stat (league) Onyedika in 24/25 Rothwell in 24/25
Apps 34 36
Games 1 0
Goals 1 4
Touches PG 53 56.8
Passes PG 39.7 42.4
Pass % 91 91
Pass in own half PG 21.7 17.1
Pass in opp. half PG 18 26.9
Recoveries PG 4.5 2.6
Going off their compared stats, Rothwell and Onyedika are very similar players, though Onyedika may have more of a physical and defensive presence about his game whereas Rothwell could be the more attacking-minded central midfielder.
Rothwell had more passes in the opposition half but Onyedika had more recoveries-per-game. But going into the Premier League where Leeds won’t be nearly as dominant as they were in the Championship, Farke might prefer a holding midfielder with a more defensive mind, as opposed to a more attacking-minded one like Rothwell.