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Leeds United ready to meet contract demands of £77,000-a-week Mariano Diaz amid Real Madrid transfer update
Mariano Diaz has an offer on the table from Leeds United for a move to Elland Road at the end of his Real Madrid contract, according to Defensa Central.
The 29-year-old is set to leave the Santiago Bernabeu this summer after five years with the club, having never fully established himself at the Spanish giants.
He has had chances to leave before but his wages have always been a stumbling block as he reportedly earns close to €4.5million a year [£3.9million] which works out to around £77,000-a-week.
Now Leeds United have entered the frame and are the only option that would allow him to retain the same compensation, with La Liga side Getafe also interested but not capable of paying that amount.
The report sets the decision up as a matter of money vs continuing to live in Madrid, as the former Lyon man makes his next move.
Strange
It shows just what staying in the Premier League means to the Whites because they will be out of the running for Diaz for certain if they drop into the Championship.
But they might be better off leaving this one alone anyway unless the recruitment department has seen something nobody else has.
Fans watching the current crop of players struggle to keep their head above water in the relegation battle might not have much faith that Victor Orta and company’s judgement should be trusted on a player approaching 30 who has scored seven goals total since he returned to Madrid five years ago, and hasn’t even played 90 minutes of first team football this season.
There are players of great quality who don’t get much of a look in at the European champions, but it doesn’t seem that clubs are clamouring to snap him up on a free transfer now.
It may be that all he needs is to finally get a move after so long with little action, but whether Elland Road is the place for him to first taste the Premier League at 29 has to be a doubt.
If the club are going to add in attack they surely need a number nine to either replace or back up Patrick Bamford, as they have numerous support options already.
It would surely be a surprise at this point if the Whites took a pricey punt on Diaz who hasn’t put up big numbers since his one season in Ligue 1 back in 2017/18.
In other Leeds United news, a source close to Willy Gnonto has shared a “strange” update on the bizarre situation between him and Javi Gracia.