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Leeds United transfer news: Gustavo Hamer 'marquee signing' move from Coventry City in balance amid Sunday Sky Sports update
Leeds United have grand plans to make Gustavo Hamer one of the first signings of the Daniel Farke era during the transfer window, but are facing a brand new threat on that front.
Football League World reported on 9 June that the Whites were plotting an “ambitious Coventry City swoop” to sign Hamer following relegation to the Championship, as they looked to make the Brazilian-born Dutchman their “marquee signing” this summer.
Phil Hay of The Athletic backed up the fact that Leeds United “do really like him” when speaking on The Square Ball on Friday (7 July, 26m 35s), and have done “for a long time”, but that move is now under Premier League pressure after Dharmesh Sheth’s update.
The Sky Sports journalist reported via Twitter on Sunday (9 July): “Fulham are interested in Coventry City midfielder Gustavo Hamer. No official bid yet. Hamer has entered the final year of his contract.”
The 26-year-old scored 11 times and laid on 10 assists last season as the Sky Blues made it all the way to the Play-Off final, so interest in him is no surprise.
Central midfield is setting up to be a key priority for Farke this summer with the possibility that all of Tyler Adams, Marc Roca, Adam Forshaw and Weston McKennie will be gone from last season.
Youngsters Darko Gyabi and Archie Gray are in line to step up but recruitment is going to be needed, and it isn’t hard to see why a proven Championship operator would be top of the shopping list at Elland Road.
But just as the Whites found out very quickly as their interest in England under-21s hero James Trafford was trampled on it is extremely difficult to compete with Premier League riches.
Burnley are set to shell out £19million for the keeper despite no Premier League experience [The Athletic, 4 July], a level of expenditure on such a target that is likely beyond Leeds United since relegation.
So the Whites will have to move quickly and decisively if they are to follow through on their marquee signing plan with Hamer, but if Fulham do come forward and table a bid it might prove futile either way.
With Farke only confirmed on 4 July he is yet to see a first-team signing made, and now what could have been the key arrival for the new manager is under threat which would leave the club searching for an alternative that matches the Coventry man’s exact profile.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay believes what the club has done in recent days has given away the future of a big-money current first-team asset.