Leo Hjelde set for imminent Leeds United loan-to-buy exit as club goes ‘wild’ in the transfer market
Leo Hjelde “will arrive” at Salernitana on a loan-to-buy deal imminently to become the latest to leave Leeds United this summer, according to Calcio Mercato.
The Italian outlet reported on their website on Wednesday 16 August that the Serie A side have “gone wild” in the transfer market and are preparing to announce seven new signings “in the next few hours” with 19-year-old Hjelde set to become their new left-back.
The Whites squad has already been gutted this summer, with Rodrigo sold and Jack Harrison making a domestic season-long move to Everton, while if Hjelde exits on loan initially he will fill the club’s final international slot after Robin Koch, Brenden Aaronson, Marc Roca, Rasmus Kristensen, Diego Llorente and Max Wober took the others.
Graham Smyth in the Yorkshire Evening Post on 15 August had suggested that as Norwegian defender Hjelde doesn’t have a relegation release clause and is currently in a battle with Sam Byram at the troublesome left-back spot any Salernitana move should not be considered “imminent”.
However, it appears that there is a great deal more confidence on the continent that the youngster is on his way very soon.
Surely not
Unless Hjelde does have a hidden clause in his deal that lets him go without the club getting involved it is hard to see them allowing him to do so.
If Salernitana stumped up millions to make it worth their while they would probably accept the trade-off to fund other business, but with only Junior Firpo as a specialist left-back, and the former Barcelona man injured again, a loan-to-buy deal does little for the Whites right now.
As a youngster who spent half of last season on loan at Rotherham it’s unlikely that Hjelde needed relegation clauses inserted into his deal so the ball should be in the club’s court as with Willy Gnonto.
Hjelde started the first two games of the season at left-back and was replaced by Byram both times, before the free transfer returnee started at Birmingham City on Saturday (12 August).
So the signals are that the 29-year-old is beginning to edge the position battle, but his fitness record makes it impossible to consider the matter closed.
They clearly seem certain that something is imminent in Italy though so the Hjelde situation will join those involving the likes of Willy Gnonto, Tyler Adams and Luis Sinisterra, as potential headaches for Leeds United fans until the window shuts.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites went to assess a new striker at the weekend with plans for a bid before the deadline.