By George Overhill

14th Jul, 2022 | 5:10pm

Leeds United target Inter's cut-price Joaquin Correa with Raphinha millions

Leeds United are interested in Inter attacker Joaquin Correa as they look to replace the departing Raphinha, Gazetta dello Sport reports.

The Italian giants want to shift one of their forwards to make space to sign free agent Paulo Dybala, and his compatriot Correa is one of the candidates to go.

Although Luis Sinisterra was nominally brought in to take Whites star Raphinha’s place as he finally heads to Barcelona the club were targeting further offensive help regardless.

With the £50million-plus now coming in from selling the Brazilian, United are reported to have particular interest in 27-year-old Correa, who can play wide or as a central attacker.

Due to the pressing need to move a player on Gazetta suggests he could be available for as little as €22.5million, which it notes as being well below market value but would prevent them making a loss.

There are a number of clubs thought to hold some interest in the player, including Premier League rivals West Ham, and Valencia, Sevilla and Betis from La Liga, as well as a previous approach from Marseille.

But within England the Leeds connection is deemed the strongest, with the player suggested as being “among the first on the list of possible heirs” for Raphinha.

Available

The relatively low price for an established European attacker could well make him an attractive option for Victor Orta.

An Argentine international with over 250 appearances in Spain and Italy, with experience of the Champions League and Europa League doesn’t usually come cheap, and his wages are considered to be reasonable.

But he is noted as having had a poor year in his first season at the San Siro after moving from Lazio last summer.

If he was considered a major asset he surely wouldn’t be available for a cut-price exit already, but he still scored six Serie A goals in 2021/22, and the club are also ready to let Edin Dzeko and Alexis Sanchez go so it is clear they have made a business decision rather than simply cutting dead wood.

Financially this looks like one Leeds could accommodate so if the interest is as high as reported it would appear that Inter are ready and waiting to receive offers as a matter of haste.

With other clubs beginning to circle around Dybala they may even be willing to accept slightly less to get a deal done quickly so if Orta wants this one he should strike while the iron is hot.

In other Leeds United news, the director of football still wants to sign two strikers this summer.