Craig Scott

Wed 10 June 2020 19:00, UK

It seems unlikely that Leeds United will be able to sign Legia Warsaw left-back Michael Karbownik after Napoli were reported to have held talks about a deal.

Sky Sports Italy journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has reported that the Serie A giants could add a third Polish player to their squad to join Piotr Zieliński and Arkadiusz Milik after holding discussions about a transfer.

Napoli are reportedly considering the futures of their current left-backs Mario Lui and Faouzi Ghoulam so there is a good chance that Karbownick, 19, will jump at the chance to join a Serie A title contender, who play in the Champions League, have a good contingent of Polish players and have an opening in his position.

Karbownik is a highly-rated young prospect and Leeds have been linked with a move to sign him.

As quoted by Sport.PL, Polish journalist Tomasz Smokowski reported that Manchester City could sign Karbownink permanently from Legia Warsaw and then strike a loan-to-buy agreement with Leeds.

Smokowksi said: “One of the clubs that is interested in him [Karbownik] is Manchester City, not for themselves but for Leeds United because these clubs work closely together and Leeds cannot afford the player themselves.

“It would be a transfer on the principle: buy him, rent him to Leeds, and if he works out we will take him.”

It is not your average transfer and the coronavirus’ impact on football’s economy could mean more deals will happen like that in the near future.

But Leeds’ hopes of that kind of deal are bound to have taken a blow thanks to Napoli, who do seem as though they want to sign Karbownik with the view to playing him in their first-team.

Leeds are a big club but in this deal in particular, the Italians seem to have the upper hand.

In other Leeds United news, this 23-year-old has suggested he’s on his way back to Leeds.