With less than 11 hours of the transfer window to run, Leeds United are keen to finally fill the forward vacancy they have carried all summer. Bamba Dieng is the latest forward to be pursued and the Whites are looking to conclude a permanent deal with Marseille before 11pm.
Daily Mail and Sky Sports News reported United’s interest in Dieng on the same morning Cody Gakpo was added to a list of forwards who got away this summer. When Eddie Nketiah was tackling the ball into Illan Meslier’s net in May, Leeds were of the opinion he would be their next striker.
However, Nketiah’s run of form to the end of the season made it impossible for Arsenal to let him go for free and tied him down to a new, lucrative contract. Charles De Ketelaere would follow, while Gakpo’s name lingered in the background throughout the window.
The former would opt for Champions League football with a European great, while the latter’s club would pull the plug on a deal at the 11th hour. In between, a pursuit of Hwang Hee-chan would come to nothing.
That leaves Dieng as the last known target in the public domain. Victor Orta flew back from Eindhoven empty-handed this morning and is now working to get the forward they need over the line.
Daniel James’s future remains up in the air. United do not need to move James on in order to add an attacker, but the Wales international may not like the look of his playing time ahead of a World Cup if someone else does arrive.
Several Premier League clubs are showing an interest, but as it stands, neither James nor Leeds are pushing his exit from Elland Road. Alfie McCalmont is another possible departure today, while Cody Drameh has resolved to stay and fight for his place.
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