Leeds United need a good end to their summer transfer window as the pressure grows on the club to bring in attacking reinforcements in the final three weeks. However, the Whites are finding it harder to get deals over the line as we edge closer to the end of the summer shopping season.
Daniel Farke has been vocal about what his Leeds squad are lacking ahead of their Premier League opener against Everton at Elland Road next Monday. The manager is insistent that his squad cannot be termed ready for a long season in the top flight without the addition of new faces in attack.
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Leeds are in the market for a striker, an attacking midfielder and a winger, but no deal is imminent as the club continue to work through a list of targets. However, the pressure is growing on sporting director Adam Underwood to get moving on a few deals.
Farke is growing increasingly frustrated as he is down to Lukas Nmecha and Joel Piroe as his striker options ahead of the opening game of the season in seven days.
Can you name the team Leeds United signed these players from in the 2010s?
Leeds United are still chasing Bilal El Khannouss, but now Newcastle United want him
Leeds appeared to have been proactive in chasing Bilal El Khannouss when they held talks with his representatives a couple of weeks back and made it clear that they want to trigger the release clause in his contract.
However, negotiations since then have stalled, and Leeds have done very little to get the deal over the line for the Moroccan attacking midfielder.
James Maddison’s injury has pushed Tottenham to get into the mix for El Khannouss, but it is only getting worse for Leeds.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Newcastle United are showing serious interest in getting their hands on the Leicester star in the ongoing window.
They are exploring a deal to sign him, and are set to press the accelerator on their pursuit of the attacking midfielder this summer.
Newcastle have the funds to gazump any offer Leeds have made to El Khannouss’ representatives, and are in the Champions League.
Despite making an early move for El Khannouss, it seems Leeds have lost huge ground to other clubs and are no longer the favourites to sign him.
Leeds paying the price for delaying deals
When Leeds held talks with El Khannouss’ representatives, a few other Premier League clubs were also sniffing around, but the Whites had the early advantage.
However, a few weeks later, the Whites have lost all ground to rival Premier League clubs and are set to pay the price of dragging their feet on this deal.
El Khannouss is a top target, but now, it would take a minor miracle for Leeds to sign him if Newcastle make a concrete effort to sign the player this summer.
The Whites also set to miss out on James McAtee, who is set to join Nottingham Forest for a deal worth less than El Khannouss’ release clause.
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