By George Overhill

19th Jul, 2022 | 8:16am

Forbes journalist gives Leeds United no chance of signing David Raum after fan suggestion

Leeds United have no chance of signing Hoffenheim left-back David Raum because they could be relegated, according to Manuel Veth.

The Whites could do with help at the position with expected starter Junior Firpo suffering an injury that could keep him out for eight weeks, after struggling in his first season at the club anyway, leaving many fans wanting an upgrade.

Stuart Dallas is still out for months with a broken leg and the manager appears unsold on Leif Davis, but Germany international Raum will apparently not be the answer.

Forbes reporter Veth had responded to a fan suggesting Leeds could be an option for the 24-year-old who Kicker think may go for up to €40million, with Borussia Dortmund the primary destination, despite interest from West Ham [Times].

Veth shut down the idea, writing on Twitter: “Raum wants to play UCL [Champions League] I am sure”.

To the point that Marc Roca left the chance on the table when he joined Veth responded: “Roca isn’t a full fledged national team player though.”

Then when the fan made the argument that there have been a number of national team players at Elland Road of late the journalist wrote back: “BVB will play for UCL football every year, Leeds could be relegated at some point. I mean it’s an easy choice”.

Cutting

If Champions League football is the primary consideration of the player then yes clearly it would make moving to the German giants in Dortmund an obvious choice.

But United have proven themselves capable of attracting talent so far this summer, with close to £100million spent on six players, including two from the Bundesliga in Roca from Bayern Munich and Tyler Adams from RB Leipzig.

It is true that they have lost two star men in Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, but for a club that went into the final day of the Premier League season in the relegation zone it is a strong haul of signings.

Clearly, as the elongated pursuit of Charles De Ketelaere has proven, they are not currently in a position to compete with teams in the top tier of European football, despite their spending power from the English top flight.

Italian champions AC Milan have been the preferred choice of the Belgian throughout, and it has been made very clear here that Dortmund would win the battle if Raum became an option.

He would certainly be an attractive choice to fill what has become a problem position at Elland Road, but the Twitter interaction would appear to show why he hasn’t apparently landed on Jesse Marsch’s list.

In other Leeds United news, another defensive target from the German top flight looks to be headed to a Premier League rival unless the club act fast.