Dejan Ljubicic frustrated after Leeds United transfer blocked as January exit now eyed
Dejan Ljubicic has been left frustrated after FC Koln blocked his move to Leeds United during the transfer window, according to BILD.
The outlet reported on their website on 30 August after the German window closed that his club wanted at least €7million [£5.9m] to sell him before the deadline while the Whites had only offered €4m [£3.37m].
The Austrian midfielder is reportedly expected to look for a move away from the 2.Bundesliga side again in the January window and will leave for free next summer if that fails, having also been prevented from moving to Wolfsburg a year ago.
The Whites did sign a midfielder from Germany on Deadline Day in a £3.3m deal for Ao Tanaka from Fortuna Dusseldorf [Yorkshire Evening Post, 30 August].
Leeds United added Ao Tanaka to Daniel Farke’s midfield
Ljubicic’s situation in Cologne appears to have been a dramatic one for some time as his attempts to force through a move to Leeds United saw his agent cut ties, the fifth time the 26-year-old has changed representation in the past year and a half, according to BILD on 23 August.
The Whites were expected to go in with an improved bid after the first was rejected, with the Daily Mail reporting on 27 August that far more money had already been put on the table.
Either way the windows in both England and Germany are now closed and he has not made the move to the Championship.
Tanaka and Joe Rothwell will therefore be Daniel Farke’s midfield reinforcements this summer, after losing Glen Kamara and Archie Gray.
Tanaka himself has arrived a year after he was subject to an offer from Elland Road [BILD] so if Ljubicic is still after a move as a free agent he might have more success next summer.
But he would likely need to prove to Farke that he is worth the commitment if transfer drama has apparently been a regularity for him at his current club.
In other Leeds United news, there is confusion over radio silence from the club over whether a high-profile player has left.
For more Leeds news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.