Leeds United and Tottenham prominent in race for Hakan Calhanoglu, could now be sold amid ‘horrible awakening’ for Inter fans
Hakan Calhanoglu could yet be sold by Inter amid financial pressures, with Leeds United and Tottenham potential destinations, according to Il Romanista.
Fabrizio Romano had previously responded to links between the Turkish international and a move to Elland Road by claiming it definitely would not happen, reporting via Twitter on 2 March that a new contract with the Nerazzurri was “set to be completed”.
But now Italian outlet Il Romanista claim on 20 March that he might still be sold in the summer, with the contract extension yet to materialise, and a sale at the end of the season representing pure capital gains since he arrived on a free transfer.
There is reportedly interest in the 29-year-old from Spain as well as the Premier League, and such is the need to ease the finances at the club they may apparently be forced to sell some “top players” on top of the free-agent departure Milan Skriniar to PSG.
The Roma-focused outlet call this a “horrible awakening” for fans of the side third in Serie A, but suggest this is now quite a likely outcome once the season ends.
Surely not
It isn’t often that Romano goes as far as to state something is definitely going to happen and then is caught out, so this one seems like a very long shot.
There’s every reason to see why the Whites would be interested in signing Calhanoglu if he does become available given his versatility and his output, and now that Premier League survival feels much more achievable tentative summer plans will start to form.
But the midfielder has made 82 appearances for Inter in less than two seasons, illustrating he is an important player at San Siro, just as he was when he played there in the red and black of AC Milan.
His goals and assists are something that would be invaluable in a Leeds United midfield that gets very few of either from the likes of Tyler Adams, Marc Roca and January loan arrival Weston McKennie, as Calhanoglu has 82 and 99 respectively across his time at both Milan sides, Bayer Leverkusen and Hamburg.
If Inter can afford to they will surely re-sign him as Romano expects, but if there have been some unexpected financial issues in the past three weeks that have changed those plans then there is likely to be no shortage of interested parties.
If Javi Gracia keeps the Whites in the top flight, and the 4-2 win at Wolves definitely helps the club to feel positive about that prospect, then they certainly should throw their hat in the ring.
The longer it goes without a new contract announced the more there may be hopes of a deal, but there is still a long way to go for that.
In other Leeds United news, one permanent signing is already on the brink of completion after the club offered a four-year deal to a player that convinced him.
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