Leeds United transfer news: ‘Confusion’ as Nadiem Amiri trains amid Xabi Alonso update after fee agreed
Nadiem Amiri is not currently bound for Leeds United as “confusion” continues over his future at Bayer Leverkusen, according to Bild.
The German newspaper reported via their website on Friday (25 August) that the midfielder is “willing” to leave but trained with the club that morning despite the Whites wanting to complete on Friday.
The 26-year-old had been set to move to Marseille “until a few days ago” when the Ligue 1 transfer fell through, and a move to Elland Road subsequently looked to be on the cards with a €6million fee mooted [£5.14m], but Bild suggest Almiri is now waiting for a new bid from elsewhere so he doesn’t have to play in the Championship.
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso confirmed the German international was also in the squad for their game against Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday night.
Fabrizio Romano reported in the early hours of Friday morning it was “close to being confirmed” with The Athletic’s Phil Hay reporting the same day that a fee had been agreed between the clubs, but the expected deal doesn’t look like it is now imminent.
Mystery
Off the back of wrapping up the big-money deal to sign Joel Piroe from Swansea there is obviously a lot of excitement at the prospect of the German midfielder arriving as well.
But while almost everything appears to be in order the plans of the Elland Road hierarchy don’t look like they are going to be met in the next couple of days.
What is at the heart of the issue is hard to discern since Kicker (24 August) had reported Amiri saying “yes” to Leeds United after a lot of “back and forth” through the week.
Logically if he was very interested in the Marseille move until the last minute before he was ready to head to England he could have just as easily changed his mind again.
Alonso appears unmoved and is ready to continue as if Amiri isn’t going anywhere, but there has to be scope for his inclusion in the squad to change on Saturday morning still.
Daniel Farke is likely to be a key component to any move as a fellow German and having come from managing in the Bundesliga last season.
But just as the Whites boss has made clear he wants players already at Elland Road to be committed to the cause he will surely feel the same about prospective new arrivals.
So if Amiri is having second thoughts it might reduce Farke’s interest, but until further concrete information emerges it is impossible to tell what the hold up is.
It is already one of the more confusing transfers after events over just a few days and that doesn’t look to be slowing down, leaving the Whites in limbo for now.
In other Leeds United news, the club have made a move to sign another Premier League talent.