Leeds United sporting director Victor Orta insists that he ‘respects’ Bamba Dieng’s decision following his transfer deadline day saga.
The Whites had agreed an £8.6million fee with Marseille and personal terms with Dieng ahead of his proposed transfer. The 22-year-old was poised to board a private jet to Leeds when a counter bid arrived from OGC Nice.
In a remarkable turn of events, Dieng decided to snub Leeds' offer and travelled to the South of France. But the drama was set to continue when another twist in the plot added to one of the most intriguing transfer sagas on transfer deadline day.
Dieng then failed his medical at Nice and could have to return to Marseille as unwanted man after the Phocaeans’ boss Igor Tudor made it clear that the Senegalese international wasn’t in his plans.
Despite the move collapsing, Orta admits he can understand the rationale behind for Dieng choosing Nice.
“You start to think it’s really easy, then they say what’s happened, it’s not easy anymore,” Orta told Sky Sports.
“I respect the decision of the player. I don’t know how his mind changed. Perhaps it’s a comfort zone, ‘I live in Marseille, I can go to Nice, it’s 20 kilometres from my house [instead] of starting a new life in a new country.”
Leeds quickly turned things around in their hunt for a centre-forward with a late swoop for Italian international Wilfried Gnonto from FC Zurich. The 18-year-old is the youngest ever goal scorer for Italy after scoring his maiden goal against Germany in June.
Gnonto, who spent eight years in Inter Milan's youth set-up, joined Swiss Super League outfit FC Zuirch in 2020. The young forward scored 12 goals and provided 10 assists in 74 appearances across all competitions during his two-year stay in Switzerland.
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