{{primary_category}}
{{/primary_category}} 
Leeds United want to sign Abdelhamid Sabiri with January transfer auction on cards
Leeds United have entered a competitive transfer battle to secure the services of playmaker Abdelhamid Sabiri from Sampdoria, according to Sampdoria News.
The Serie A club’s current financial issues could facilitate the sale of the 26-year-old in January, who has starred for Morocco during their run to the World Cup quarter-finals.
The Whites will face stiff competition from Fiorentina, Real Betis and Lyon for the attacking midfielder, with Sampdoria slapping a €10million [£8.6million] price tag on their star man.
According to the report, Jesse Marsch’s side “like him a lot” and could partake in an “auction” for the player.
Fiorentina, however, are the current favourites to sign the Moroccan, having “already drafted a proposal” with their fellow Serie A side, but the club are waiting for any significant bids in January before deciding on his future.
World Cup star
Sabiri has made a name for himself in Qatar in recent weeks and netted in his country’s penalty shootout victory over Spain.
His recent heroics have certainly put several clubs on red-hot alert for the ex-Huddersfield midfielder, and Marsch will have one eye in their quarter-final match against Portugal.
Since making his move permanent at Sampdoria in the summer, the 26-year-old has scored two goals in 13 games this term and continued this form in Qatar.
Although the £8.6million price tag is modest and it wouldn’t prove the biggest risk for Leeds, the club already possesses an abundance of talent in attacking midfield areas, and other areas of the squad need improving first.
The likes of Brenden Aaronson, Willy Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville already represent a healthy strength in depth in the attacking areas that Sabiri would hold.
A centre-forward and a left-back should be the first priority in January, and although a player in a rich vein of form, Sabiri just isn’t needed.
In other Leeds United news, a youth expert believes Crysencio Summerville has repaid Jesse Marsch’s faith with ‘brilliant’ recent form.