Here are your Leeds United transfer rumours on Friday, April 8.
Cadiz rejected Firpo move
La Liga side Cadiz reportedly rejected the chance to sign Leeds United defender Junior Firpo as they didn't think he was a 'player for the Primera Division' in Spain. That's according to Estadio Deportivo, who claim that the 25-year-old was offered to the newly-promoted Spanish outfit during his time at Real Betis, but they rejected the chance to sign him.
Instead, Firpo had a great few years with Betis which earned him a move to Barcelona in 2019. However, he struggled for regular first-team game time at Barca, leaving him surplus to requirements. Leeds took the gamble on Firpo and it safe to say he has failed to live up to expectations, starting just 15 games all season and he has since been linked with an immediate move away from Elland Road.
Leeds target set for Bayern
Leeds United-linked Ajax right-back Noussair Mazraoui is reportedly on the verge of a move to Bayern Munich this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano. Some reports had claimed Mazraoui was on the radar of the Whites ahead of the upcoming window with his contract in Amsterdam set to expire.
Mazraoui had also been in talks with a move to Barcelona in recent months, and his decision to move to Bayern could have an impact on Leeds’ reported pursuit of Sergino Dest. With a deal for Cesar Azpilicueta looking unlikely, Dest may now not be allowed to depart the Camp Nou this summer, meaning Leeds will have to take their right-back pursuit elsewhere.
Hutton makes Phillips claim
Former Scotland international Alan Hutton believes that Kalvin Phillips should hold off signing a new Leeds United contract and sign for Aston Villa in the summer. The 26-year-old has been linked with a move away from Elland Road, with Villa amongst the teams interested in his signature.
Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United have also been backed to sign Phillips, who has just over two years left on his current deal. Although Leeds are reportedly working on a deal to keep him at the club beyond his contract, Hutton is hoping he rejects it and signs for Steven Gerrard's men.
He told Football Insider: "I can’t see it, if I’m totally honest. Leeds fans won’t be happy with that. But in this situation at the moment, they’re eight points outside the relegation zone. There are still teams below them with games in hand.
“I think they’ve done enough and I think they will stay up. But for Kalvin Phillips, as a footballer moving forward, he’s very capable of taking a step up.
"He’s a fully-fledged international player. If he wants to keep that spot, he needs to be playing at a high level. Are Aston Villa at that level at this moment in time? No, they aren’t, but that’s where they’re trying to get to.
"To get to that next stage, they have to be looking at players like Kalvin Phillips to make them better. I totally understand why they’re going for him. It’ll be interesting to see if they could get over the line."
