Leeds United transfer target Jordan Zemura makes Bournemouth exit decision amid Newcastle and Crystal Palace interest
Bournemouth left-back has decided to leave the club this summer amid heavy Premier League interest from clubs including Leeds United, 90min reports.
Despite the likes of Newcastle, West Ham and Crystal Palace also being keen on the Zimbabwean he has instead chosen a move to Serie A with Udinese on a free transfer.
His contract at the Vitality is up at the end of the season and Aston Villa were another English team in the running to sign him, but the latest report says he has agreed a deal with the Italian club.
The recent revival from Junior Firpo aside, left-back remains a position of focus at Elland Road, but 23-year-old Zemura will apparently not now be the answer.
Departure
The Premier League has the upper hand in most transfer negotiations but clearly the spending power isn’t everything and a player who was already operating in the English top flight has chosen to leave.
It was a crowded race anyway and with the Whites’ survival status hanging in the balance as much as the Cherries’ it may have been tricky to reach any agreement ahead of the other interested clubs, but Udinese have stolen a march with their ability to negotiate ahead of the deal expiring.
A free transfer is always an attractive proposition and this one has now had the door closed, with Leeds sure to be investigating a new option left-back whether they view Firpo as part of the future or not.
Pascal Struijk covered for much of the season and key January arrival Max Wober played there for Red Bull Salzburg, but both are naturally suited to play in the middle and the Austrian’s importance centrally would make it unlikely he gets moved out wide.
Firpo had struggled since his arrival from Barcelona last season, but Jesse Marsch’s departure saw him come back into the first-team, and he scored the first goal of the Javi Gracia era in victory over Southampton on 5 February.
The Whites have been linked to left-backs for months and Firpo has yet to categorically make the position his own, but Zemura is another one that can be crossed off the list.
In other Leeds United news, the Jean-Kevin Augustin saga continues to get more ridiculous but the club appear to have surprise confidence in their position.