Good Morning. It's Friday 28th August, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road…
Dominoes fall as Zetterer agrees £4.2m switch
Leeds United will finally complete the signing of experienced shot-stopper Michael Zetterer from Eintracht Frankfurt, unlocking an exit for Lucas Perri, leaving Daniel Farke with a clearer hierarchy before the window shuts. The 31-year-old German had initially been reluctant to leave the Bundesliga. His agent publicly dismissed reports of a transfer earlier this week. That stance has now changed. Zetterer (and his agent) were given the guided tour of Elland Road last week, and had sit down talks with Daniel Farke (whilst at Thorp Arch).
He returned to Germany, wanting to make the move to West Yorkshire permanent. The deal was given the green light on Thursday after Frankfurt agreed terms to bring in Freiburg’s Noah Atubolu as his replacement. A deal for Zetterer is expected to be signed off this weekend, with a fee agreed around €5m (£4.2m) being agreed. Zetterer joined Frankfurt from Werder Bremen only last August. He made 22 Bundesliga appearances last season, kept six clean sheets and started five Champions League games, so he is not a raw reserve.
For Leeds he is the experienced, composed understudy Farke wanted once Trafford was secured. With the wheels finally in motion, Torino have completed a season-long loan for Perri with an option to buy. Juventus had also been mentioned as a possible destination, where he would have sat behind Guglielmo Vicario, but Torino want him as their first-choice keeper. Alex Cairns is expected to remain as third-choice and is likely to be on the bench for Sunday’s home game against Brentford.
Lyon’s Champions League exit puts Pavel Šulc back in Leeds sights
Lyon's Champions League exit has changed more than their European calendar. It has put Pavel Šulc back on the market, a player which was high on Leeds short-list earlier this summer. Lyon lost the Champions League play-off 3-2 on aggregate, going down 2-1 at home on Wednesday. The night ended in chaos, with Matteo Guendouzi at the centre of a confrontation with home supporters. Missing the Champions League league phase leaves a hole in the budget. Journalist Romain Molina reports Lyon now need to raise around €100m in player sales to keep the books in line with the DNCG, French football’s financial watchdog. That pressure turns every saleable asset into a possible departure before the window shuts.
Šulc is near the top of that list. The 25-year-old Czech attacking midfielder joined Lyon from Viktoria Plzeň in August 2025 and had an outstanding first season: 11 Ligue 1 goals and strong numbers across all competitions, after winning Czech Footballer of the Year. The Whites opened talks in July, with Lyon valuing him at about €25 million. Other reports earlier in the year put the asking price far higher, towards £35 million. The gap was enough for Leeds to cool the chase, but a forced fire sale changes the maths.
They will not be alone. Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham monitored Šulc over the winter. Wrexham have been linked with a late, club-record push as they chase Championship promotion. Malick Fofana, the winger who scored against Fenerbahçe, is the other high-value name likely to draw Premier League and European interest if Lyon have to sell more than one starter. Šulc is contracted until 2029 and can play as a No. 10, wide or as a false nine. He has said the Premier League is a dream. Leeds have tracked him all summer because that profile fits Daniel Farke’s need for a creator who can also score.
Ramazani wants Valencia move "come hell or high water"
West Ham, Burnley and an unnamed Italian club have entered the race for Largie Ramazani. The 25yo Belgian, a £10m purchase from Almeria two years ago remains fixated on a return to the Mestalla (Valencia's ground) 'come hell or high water'. After a slow start, Ramazani found his groove, improving sharply after Christmas, ending the campaign with six goals and two assists in 27 La Liga appearances. That spell convinced him a permanent return is the right move. Spanish reports say he has also made that clear to Valencia team-mates, and is prepared to wait rather than take another destination.
Leeds are ready to sell. Daniel Farke omitted Ramazani from pre-season and has indicated those left out then are not part of this season’s plans. The sticking point is structure and price. Leeds want a permanent deal. Valencia have spent the summer pushing a cheap sale or another loan. Asking prices that once sat around €10–12m have come down; recent reports put Leeds nearer €4m plus a sell-on. That is still more than Valencia want to spend. The gap has opened the door for Championship promotion hopefuls West Ham and Burnley to throw their names in the mix.
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