Leeds United can now wave goodbye to one of their rumoured transfer targets for this summer. He looks set to stay with his current club.
Leeds United are ready to hit the transfer market hard this summer, with Daniel Farke in desperate need of some quality signings to give his side a chance at beating the drop next season.
Already it’s been revealed that Leeds United will spend £100million on transfers in the summer, and there are no end of players being linked with Farke’s side who could spend much of that £100million on just a few players.
There are free agents being linked with a move to Elland Road, like Kyle Walker-Peters at Southampton, and later in the summer there’ll likely be more and more loan rumours.
But early on we could see the Whites spend big, with Leonardo Balerdi a potentially expensive signing for the club. It’s been reported that Leeds United are interested in signing Balerdi who would cost £38million this summer.
Marseille won’t be selling Leeds United target Leonardo Balerdi this summer
Reports have claimed in recent weeks that Leeds United are about to submit a bid for Balerdi who, if he signs for £38million, would become the Whites’ most expensive signing of all time. It’s also been reported that Balerdi would be open to joining Leeds United this summer, over links to the Serie A with the likes of Roma interested.
But speaking to La Provence, Marseille club president Pablo Longoria has issued something of a hands-off transfer warning to the likes of Leeds. The same report states that Balerdi is one of five key players for the Ligue 1 club who won’t be sold this summer, as Marseille ready for Champions League football next season.
Longoria says: “We want to build a good team, keep the best players, and start again with maximum stability, to have a great season.”
What Roberto De Zerbi has said about Leonardo Balerdi’s future
For Leeds United, it looks like Longoria’s comments are the final nail in the coffin where a move for Balerdi is concerned. Speaking recently, De Zerbi gave his verdict on Balerdi’s future, insisting that the likes of Longoria would be better placed to talk on the matter.
De Zerbi said: “There’s the president and the sporting director. They’re the ones best placed to answer that. The aim is to get stronger. We weren’t playing in Europe this season, so we had to achieve our objective, it was vital. After the season, we’ll see how we can strengthen the team. Leo is a pillar of the squad.”
What looked like an ambitious pursuit from the off now looks to have been put to bed. But Balerdi is certainly a name to keep an eye on going forward: he could yet land himself a top Premier League move if he impresses in the Champions League next year.
