Leeds United and Salernitana contact ‘never ended’ as Leo Hjelde exit update emerges ahead of transfer deadline
Contacts between Leeds United and Salernitana over a deal that would see Leo Hjelde leave the club “have never stopped” and more late talks are on the cards, according to Tutto Salernitana.
The Italian outlet reported via their website Sunday (27 August) that manager Paulo Sosa will “talk about it again in the last days of the transfer market” to make a final push for a deal, with the Serie A club still in search of an answer at left-back and 19-year-old Hjelde their long-held target.
The Norwegian was back in Daniel Farke’s first-team squad for the 4-3 win at Ipswich on Saturday, having been out with a concussion prior.
He had started the first two games of the campaign at left-back but lost his place to Sam Byram, before the former Whites youth player picked up an injury himself at Portman Road.
Stick or twist
Byram’s absence makes it all the more likely that Hjelde will be needed as cover at Elland Road this season unless the club can pick up a late signing at the position.
The Athletic’s Phil Hay has tipped Burnley’s Charlie Taylor to be one to watch as another potential Leeds United returnee this summer, while Stoke City’s Josh Tymon has also been linked [TEAMtalk, 24 August].
Sign either of those and Hjelde can likely move on, as Farke turned first to Cody Drameh to replace Byram on Saturday, and then when the right-back had a rough start to the game the manager then opted for Jamie Shackleton to replace him.
That suggests that Hjelde has already fallen down the pecking order some way, but absent new arrivals there simply aren’t the numbers to be cavalier in letting players go.
When everyone is fit there should be enough on the left and in the middle to get by, but there are so often injury issues at Leeds United that a full squad is rarely available.
And what Junior Firpo’s long-term future looks like is anybody’s guess right now, as he was expected to go this summer but is out with a fitness problem once more.
The financial boost to letting Hjelde leave for Italy isn’t going to be huge so it surely all depends on other comings and goings in the final few days, which will likely leave his future in the balance down to the wire.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are trying to find a way to bring in a forgotten Premier League talent before the window shuts.