Leeds United transfer news as Marseille update on Josh Doig emerges
Leeds United are set to miss out on a transfer for Josh Doig, with the Scotland youth international agreeing to a deal to join Marseille this month, according to Gianluca Di Marzio.
The Italian journalist reported on his website on Friday (12 January) that the French giants had agreed a deal with Hellas Verona to sign the Scottish youth international in a £4.3million transfer set to be completed imminently.
Daniel Farke’s side had reportedly been interested in the 21-year-old defender earlier in the January transfer window [Yorkshire Evening Post, 13 January], as the Whites looked to strengthen their full-back options having lost both Djed Spence and Luke Ayling in the early stages of the month.
Onto the next
Leeds United do need new options at full-back but has become incredibly clear that Doig is not the man to make the difference at Elland Road. Interest from around Europe was high in the 21-year-old defender so it was always going to be tough for the Whites to win the race for his signature.
Whether Leeds would have been willing to spend upwards of £4million on a left-back this month remains to be seen. The initial suggestion out of Elland Road is that the loan market is the more feasible option during the middle of the season.
Farke isn’t spoiled with choice at left-back. Both Sam Byram and Junior Firpo have impressed when fit this season but neither player has a particularly strong injury record and Leeds have spent much of the season so far with only one of them available.
Hopefully, Doig will have been one of many potential left-back targets on the Whites’ radar and having missed out on the Scottish youth international, they will just be able to move on to the next target on their list without dwelling on this missed chance.
In other Leeds United news, Daniel Farke has ruled out a January exit for one Whites star this month