Leeds United are the main contenders to sign a Strasbourg winger for a fee in the region of £30m as they aim for a final flourish in the transfer window, with Largie Ramazani’s future plunged into further uncertainty this weekend.
Since their return to the Premier League, Leeds have bolstered their squad with a range of new players. Most recently, they added Noah Okafor from AC Milan after his spell on loan at Napoli over the second half of last season. However, that might not be the last addition they make in attack.
Indeed, reports on Saturday are suggesting Leeds are in pole position for the signature of French forward, Dilane Bakwa.
According to Sacha Tavolieri, Leeds are ‘now leading the race’ for Bakwa. Crucially, they are ‘ready to meet’ the ‘expectations’ of his current club, Strasbourg.
The asking price by Chelsea’s sister club is in the region of €35m (£30m), but that seems of little concern to Leeds.
Interest in another winger so soon after the Okafor deal may signal movement for one of their current options and there has been a major clue with their team news for Saturday’s game against Arsenal.
Largie Ramazani has not travelled with the squad, according to reports, with the reason for his absence as yet unexplained.
According to Graham Smyth, Ramazani ‘would be the likeliest to attract interest’ out of the current wingers Leeds could offload.
It was only last summer that Ramazani joined Leeds from Almeria, before contributing six goals to their Championship title win.
He was an unused substitute in Leeds’ win over Everton on Monday in their opening game of the Premier League season.
READ MORE ➡️ Every completed Leeds United transfer in summer 2025: Signings, exits, loans
Leeds face competition for Bakwa
Back to Bakwa, and Leeds aren’t the only Premier League suitors in contention for the 22-year-old’s signature.
Nottingham Forest have already seen some bids rejected for the left-footer and remain interested in his services.
However, Tavolieri concludes that Leeds are ‘now ahead’ of Forest in the battle to bring Bakwa to England.
If Strasbourg can get €35m for Bakwa, he would become their biggest sale of all time, overtaking Habib Diarra after his move to Sunderland earlier this summer.
A £30m outlay from Leeds’ perspective, meanwhile, would not just make Bakwa their biggest signing since their Premier League return, but put him second on their list of most expensive signings of all time, behind only Georginio Rutter.
Who is Dilane Bakwa?
Bakwa is a Bordeaux academy product whose breakthrough season came when they were in Ligue 2 in the 2022-23 season. He scored five goals from 36 games in his first comprehensive body of work as a professional footballer after previously playing 12 times in Ligue 1 scattered across the two prior campaigns.
Bakwa stepped back up to Ligue 1 in 2023 by joining Strasbourg, where he scored three goals from 31 league games in his debut season.
Last season, he scored six goals and added nine assists – meaning 15 goal contributions from 30 games – in the top flight, becoming a France U21 international along the way and helping his club qualify for Europe.
Usually stationed on the right-hand side, he was used by Liam Rosenior either as a wing-back or a winger last season.
He completed 50 take-ons in the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season and registered 22 shots on target.
“What a player!” enthused Rosenior after a game against Lyon in March 2025, in which Bakwa contributed a goal and an assist.
But Bakwa had to make do with the role of an impact sub for Strasbourg’s first league fixture of 2025-26 and his future remains up in the air.