Leeds United have to respond as PL rivals agree fee for Moses Simon
Newcastle United may have scuppered the hopes of Leeds United to sign Nigeria attacker Moses Simon, according to OwnGoalNigeria.com.
The Whites made a late offer for the 26-year-old in January [Ignazio Genuardi, Football 365 journalist] but nothing materialised in the closing days of the window.
Own Goal Nigeria now reports that Newcastle have had a bid accepted by FC Nantes in the region of £16.7million accepted and are looking to complete a move early in the summer window.
They do claim though that Simon wants amove elsewhere in France and is holding out from agreeing a deal with the Magpies in the hope another Ligue 1 side makes an approach.
Leeds United and Bundesliga side RB Leipzig are not out of the race yet, as they report, but they are likely to face the same issues as the Toon will.
That shouldn’t stop the Whites from making an approach themselves though as Marcelo Bielsa could use his own charming ways to entice him to Yorkshire.
His diminutive way of playing football is sure to light up the Premier League and Leeds could do with another body in wide areas with Dan James being converted to a striker via the absence of Patrick Bamford.
It looks to be a tall order for anyone outside of France to sign the Nigerian international but it will be even harder if they don’t put a bid into Nantes.
There is no harm in trying and they won’t lose anything if he doesn’t end up at Elland Road anyway.
Bielsa and his scouting team need to keep an eye out for alternatives on the wings but they should still pursue Simon if he is their ideal target.
People can change their minds and he is not immune to that and they need to be in the right place to take advantage if he does so.
In other Leeds United news, we think the Whites need to cut their losses on another winger who is struggling out on loan in Spain.