Leeds United and Everton face off on the opening Monday of the Premier League next week. Before then, the two seem to be involved in a bit of a brewing transfer battle.
Leeds United welcome Everton to Elland Road on Monday, August 18th. It’s their first Premier League game of the season and it’s Leeds’ first Premier League game in two years after the Whites won the Championship title last season.
Last year, Leeds United lost the Championship play-off final to Southampton. The following season, the Saints would come crashing back down, finishing rock bottom of the Premier League table with just 12 points.
But so far this summer, Leeds United have signed seven new players and they have been tipped to beat the drop next season, with fans quietly optimistic of their side’s chances going into the new campaign.
Though it’s clear that Leeds United still need a new striker and one name who has been linked heavily of late is Artem Dovbyk at Roma.
Artem Dovbyk in Roma pre-season training.
Photo by Luciano Rossi/AS Roma via Getty Images
Everton not in race to sign Leeds United transfer target Artem Dovbyk
Recent reports in the UK had claimed that Everton had made an opening bid for Dovbyk at Roma. The same report also claimed that the Toffees had submitted a staggering £37million bid to sign the Ukrainian international, who only joined Roma from Girona last summer.
However, conflicting reports have emerged in Italy. Il Messaggero report that Everton’s interest in the 28-year-old has been denied by sources in Italy, with no sign of Everton making an effort to sign Dovbyk right now. The same report also states that Roma only want a fee of €30million (£25.8million) to sell Dovbyk this summer, lower than previous figures mentioned, with Leeds, West Ham and Sunderland the teams to have made initial enquiries to sign the striker.
Last season, Dovbyk scored 12 goals in 32 Serie A games for Roma, with 17 goals in all competitions. The season prior, he scored 24 La Liga goals for Girona, in just 36 league games for the Spanish club.
Everton v AS Roma - Pre-Season Friendly
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
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What Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini has said about Artem Dovbyk’s future
The situation involving Dovbyk at Roma seems like quite a testing one. For whatever reason, he seems to have fallen rapidly out of favour, despite Roma heavily investing in the striker, and despite him giving back a fairly decent return of 12 goals in the league last season.
Speaking recently, though, Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini gave his verdict on Dovbyk at Roma. He revealed that, having returned from injury in pre-season, Dovbyk is ‘recovering well’. Gasparini also denied claims that he’s not a fan of Dovbyk.
He told Italian media recently: “He’s been sidelined for a long time, he’s recovering physically, working hard in training. I read that I don’t like Dovbyk, don’t write that, because I never say that. I like all Roma players while they’re at Roma.
Season Games Goals Assists
2024/25 32 12 2
2023/24 36 24 8
2022/23 30 24 5
2021/22 17 14 4
“I’ll give my all to work on them, especially because, as I said, they’re incredibly dedicated; they train really well, and for me that’s already more than enough. You can judge their performances.”
With Everton’s rumoured bid for Dovbyk untrue, it leaves the door wide open for one of Leeds, Sunderland or West Ham, or any other team for that matter, to swoop in, and at £26million, it seems cheaper than first thought. As time goes by and Leeds United remain without a marquee number nine, Farke could well pull the trigger on a move for Dovbyk.
That said, Leeds United are set to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer, and he may well be viewed as the answer to Leeds United’s striker conundrum.