By George Overhill

26th Jul, 2022 | 7:10pm

Leeds United target Arnaud Kalimuendo is available after Paris Saint-Germain offer Inter part-exchange

Leeds United striker target Arnaud Kalimuendo is sure to be available before the end of the window despite his coach wanting to keep him.

The Whites are after an extra option up front this summer and after weeks of chasing Club Brugge’s Charles De Ketelaere they appear to be no closer to success than they were at the start.

In the mean time a “likely” €20million deal for the young Paris Saint-Germain striker is on the table [Miguel Delaney] but has become bogged down by the fact that the new coach at the French champions wants to keep him following a sparkling preseason.

Despite a star-studded line-up of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar to choose from Christophe Galtier is impressed by the 20-year-old, whose preferred option is to stay and be back-up to the much-heralded trio [Canal Supporters].

But influential advisor Luis Campos, himself only appointed this summer, has been chasing additional striker options throughout the window and has added Hugo Ekitike.

The chances of United landing their man appear to come down to whose opinion carries the most weight in Paris, and based on the way managers come and go at the Parc des Princes a fair guess would be Campos.

And it has now emerged via La Gazetta dello Sport that the Ligue 1 side offered to include the striker to sweeten the deal as they attempted to sign Inter defender Milan Skriniar.

The French champions, as a club, clearly see him as an asset who is more useful to them in the transfer market than he is on the pitch, even if Galtier sees it differently.

As the GdS report says they had offered €55million [£46million] for the Slovak but were considered €15million short of the valuation, the price on the table for his move to Leeds seems about accurate.

In an ideal world the manager would of course want every player he can get at his disposal, and similarly a young Parisian forward would like to make it as his home-town club and play alongside such superstar names.

But with fellow 20-year-old Ekitike brought in, and the three big names guaranteed the lion’s share of the game time already, there looks like little opportunity for that to actually happen.

It seems likely that Campos is just waiting for the preseason to play out so Kalimuendo’s price climbs a bit higher with strong performances before pulling the trigger and sending him to Elland Road.

In other Leeds United news, the other primary option to fill the need up front has broken his silence on a move to England.