Good Morning. It's Friday 19th July, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road
Auf Wiedersehen RasmusRasmus Kristensen is set to undergo a medical later today, and will join Eintracht Frankfurt on a season long loan.
At Championship level, the Dane would have been an asset to Leeds; the boards decision to allow him to go out on loan will anger many, and ramp up recent tensions with those who believe the Leeds board are weak and inept.
Eintracht Frankfurt have a voluntary option to buy Kristensen for £15m according to Fabrizio Romano, a clause no doubt inserted to save face. There is not a hope in hell that Leeds will complete a deal with any club for that amount, let alone with a savvy outfit like Frankfurt, who only last season stole Robin Koch away for nothing!
Takeover may force Leeds to abandon Bogle bidLeeds are no further forward in their bid to bring Sheffield Utd wing-back Jayden Bogle to Elland Road, according YEP journalist Graham Smyth.
The Whites have already had two bids in the region of £4m turned down, by the delay may be out of both clubs control. Takeover talks with a US based consortium could very well put a spanner in the works, and with only 22 days left until the season starts, Leeds may be forced to abandon their plans and look elsewhere.
Smyth said:
“I wonder if the Sheffield United situation is making it more difficult to get things done, in terms of buying their players. “It’s a bad look for them to agree to business that a direct rival believes strengthens their promotion bid.
“But if [Bogle is] not willing to sign a new deal and Leeds is the best offer on the table, they might just end up deciding to take it. This takeover is still very much in the ether. I have heard on numerous occasions that it has held up business for them this summer.”
Whites set to scupper Hornets bid to sign Ballo-ToureLeeds are set to scupper Watford's plans to sign AC Milan left-back Fode Ballo-Toure, and instead bring him to Elland Road.
The talented left-back, has only 12 months left on his contract, and is believed to be keen on a move back to England. He spent last season on loan with Fulham but was used sparingly, amassing just 226 minutes of game time all season.
The 27yo, once tipped to become ‘one of the world’s best’ left-backs has great pace, loves to get forward and has great blocking skills. Leeds have turned to the Senegalese International following news that Junior Firpo could be set to re-join Real Betis, seeing out the last 12 months of his contract in Southern Spain.
Rumours suggest the Italian giants will accept an offer in the region of £2.5m. They had already accepted a similar bid from Fenerbahce, but Ballo-Toure has his heart set on another move to England.
