Diogo Monteiro left out of Servette squad as he gets ready for Leeds United transfer
Leeds United transfer target Diogo Monteiro will not be in the Servette squad to play Sion on Sunday, the Geneva-based club have confirmed.
Ahead of the Swiss Super League showdown on 29 January, Servette have confirmed that Monteiro, 18, is not in their 20-man squad amid speculation strongly linking the Portuguese centre-back with a move to Elland Road.
Phil Hay reported on The Athletic website on 26 January that a late January swoop for Monteiro is “in the pipeline” after he celebrated his 18th birthday on Saturday (28 January).
Swiss newspaper Tribune de Geneve reported on 17 January that Monteiro has already visited Leeds with his father for a tour of the club’s facilities at Thorp Arch.
Big hint
Monteiro has hardly been a regular for Servette this season but his absence for a big game against Sion is telling.
The Geneva-born Portugal youth international has played six times for Sevette’s senior side this season, with two of them being in the last three games.
He’s been in the matchday squad a lot, being an unused substitute 10 times.
If he wasn’t on the verge of leaving Servette, you’d imagine that he’d at least be on the bench against Sion.
He played 90 minutes against BSC Young Boys on 6 November before the World Cup, keeping an impressive clean sheet so there’s no real reason for him to be dropped.
FC Zurich, Willy Gnonto’s former side, beat Servette 4-1 in the game after that – and Monteiro didn’t play.
Clearly, Monteiro is a talent and a good player for Servette so he’d be included against Sion if he wasn’t set to leave them in the next couple of days.
It’ll be a good signing for Leeds.
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