Leeds very close to completing £13m signing of Junior Firpo
Leeds United are on the cusp of securing their first major signing of the summer, according to a report in Sport.
Barcelona full-back Junior Firpo, who has been linked extensively with a move to AC Milan, is now set to join Leeds.
It’s reported that the player had his heart set on a move to Italy, but Leeds United and Marcelo Bielsa have successfully managed to convince the Spanish international to jump ship and move to Elland Road this summer.
Barring any last-minute glitches, Firpo will be announced as a Leeds player after the Whites finalise the last details of the deal.
Excitement building
We’ve been in the hunt for a left-back for a while and after being linked with a plethora of players, we’ve finally seemed to have arrived at Firpo and are set to complete his signing within the coming days.
To beat a Champions League side like AC Milan for the player certainly shows our pulling power and we’re certain that the Bielsa factor was a major reason why Firpo decided to join us.
The Barcelona full-back will be a perfect fit in our system and will certainly walk into our playing eleven. He’s fast, tireless and a good crosser of the ball.
He is a ‘physically powerful’ [Mundo Deportivo] left-back who loves running up and down the pitch – making him an ideal player for the Argentine.
Per Statsbomb‘s data, the 24-year-old offers a potent threat in the final third as he’s made 9.12 progressive carries per game this past season.
These impressive numbers have put him in the 99th percentile in comparison to all full-backs in Europe’s top-five leagues.
He’s also made a staggering 3.36 touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 minutes – which places him in the 94th percentile.
In comparison to the likes of Romain Perraud and Nicolas Tagliafico, Firpo is the clear winner and we’re delighted to have gone for him and hopefully should be able to complete the deal without any last-minute hindrances.
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