Credit: Imago

Richie Mills

Fri 24 April 2026 15:10, UK

Leeds United could be the beneficiaries of a Lois Openda loan next season as Juventus consider moving on the underperforming striker.

Daniel Farke‘s side have been linked with a move for the 26-year-old, who is on a loan-to-buy deal from RB Leipzig to the Italian giants.

While he has been prolific in the Eredivisie with Vitesse, Ligue 1 with Lens, and the Bundesliga with Leipzig, Serie A has not been a happy hunting ground for the Belgium international.

Leeds’ summer striker signings of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha have contributed 17 goals between them in the Premier League this season, while third choice Joel Piroe is yet to get off the mark.

If the Whites stay up, Leeds will seek attacking reinforcements and a loan deal for Openda could be a shrewd move, particularly as he offers something a bit different to their current options.

Louis Openda can enhance Leeds’ attack

For three seasons in a row at Vitesse, Lens, and Leipzig, Openda notched more than 20 goals in all competitions.

He has slowed down in the past two campaigns, however, with the Belgian bagging 13 goals last season and just two in 34 games for Juventus this term.

His form at Leipzig convinced Juve to sign him on loan last summer, with a £34.7million obligation to buy at the end of the season.

However, according to Quotidiano Sportivo, Juve want to keep loanee Jeremie Boga and Openda will be loaned out. They add the Serie A outfit will consider trying to sell him for good in 2027.

After multiple prolific seasons, Openda has come unstuck in Italy but that does not mean he is beyond repair. Indeed, at Leeds he would offer their front line something different – out and out pace.

Last season, he clocked the second fastest top end speed at 36.86kph – numbers Leeds’ Dan James has not matched this term. The Premier League is a much faster division than Serie A, so perhaps that would suit Openda’s strengths.

He may not have a future at Juventus but he could be one to keep an eye on for Leeds.

Openda is beyond compare

When Openda was firing in the goals at Leipzig in early 2024, then-sporting director Rouven Schröder waxed lyrical about the attacker.

He described the flying forward as “inimitable” and a real handful for opposition defences due to his unpredictability.

He told Bild: “Lois scores his goals in an inimitable way. That’s unorthodox, but that’s why we brought him in, take him out of sync with his hips for a moment and at the same time out of the turn – his goals are difficult to predict.”

Leeds are keeping tabs on Openda but whether or not the 49ers will go all out for him this summer remains to be seen. Before then, Leeds take on Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals.