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Leeds United will move for Gonzalo Plata if Real Valladolid fail to agree deal
Leeds United could move for Sporting forward Gonzalo Plata this summer if Real Valladolid fail to meet the Portuguese club’s asking price, as reported by Corrieo da Manha (7 June, page 11).
Plata, 21, spent the last season on loan at Valladolid where he enjoyed a brilliant campaign and helped the club win promotion to Spain’s La Liga.
Valladolid are heavily keen on securing him permanently and they are looking to offer a fee of around £5.9 million for Plata, as reported by journalist Dario Araujo Pluas, who works for Equagoal.
Although the offer looks good, it is still short of Sporting’s valuation. They need to pay £8.5million to turn their loan deal with Plata into a permanent one.
Replacement for Raphinha?
Sporting have 50% of the player’s rights, and they are looking to get the maximum profit out of his potential sale.
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So, if Valladolid fail to meet the trigger clause, Leeds do have a chance here.
The 21-year-old scored six goals and supplied five assists in 30 league appearances during his loan spell last term, and he could be a good replacement for Raphinha, who looks likely to leave.
The Brazilian has been heavily linked with a move away from Elland Road, with the likes of Barcelona, Liverpool and Bayern Munich keen to land him [The Mirror].
It won’t be easy to replace a player like Raphinha who almost single-handedly kept Leeds in the league last season, but Jesse Marsch should look to make quality additions to make the squad collectively stronger.
At the moment, it seems, Leeds are happy to play the waiting game. It could mean that although they are interested, the club are not ready to push the limit. If Valladolid give up the chase, the door could be open for Leeds to bring him to Elland Road.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are readying a new bid for a blockbuster striker signing according to Phil Hay after Premier League survival