Leeds United must change transfer approach after Gabriel Sara developments
Leeds United have to avoid low-balling their rivals if they want to avoid losing out on transfer targets like new Galatasaray signing Gabriel Sara.
Florian Plettenberg posted on X (5 August) to state that the ex-Norwich midfielder has headed to the Turkish Super Lig club on a five-year contract, with Galatasaray paying £15.5million for his signature.
That fee is more than three times the amount that United offered the Canaries just a few days ago, with a meagre £5m bid for the 25-year-old midfielder bordering on disrespectful to both Sara and Norwich [Özgür Sancar, 31 July].
As the Whites re-engage in transfer negotiations with Norwich, this time for 21-year-old winger Jonathan Rowe, Daniel Farke’s side must be prepared to go well above the £7m offer they’re ready to submit [John Percy, 5 August].
Leeds United have to spend Summerville transfer windfall wisely
Pursuits of both Sara and Rowe have both been shaped around the now-confirmed departure of star winger Crysencio Summerville, whose move to West Ham went through on Saturday (3 August).
While the Whites have requested that Summerville’s fee be kept strictly undisclosed [Sean Whetstone, 4 August], the mooted value of roughly £25m gives them plenty of financial leeway with which to find a replacement.
While their bid for attacking midfielder Sara came before Summerville’s exit had been confirmed, the club should have known that Norwich would never entertain an offer as low as £5million for their star.
Rowe is four years younger than the Brazilian and is more akin to Summerville as an out-and-out winger, but that won’t stop Norwich from holding the Peacocks to a hard bargain for their academy product.
As was the case after Archie Gray’s £40m move to Tottenham, other Championship clubs will be well aware of Leeds’ financial strength, but if Farke sees Rowe as his definitive Summerville replacement, the club will have to pay Norwich’s asking price.
In other Leeds news, the Whites could face stiff competition to sign another highly-rated midfielder who has been tipped to “go far”.
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