Javi Gracia and Victor Orta convince Barcelona winger Ilias Akhomach to join Leeds United
Ilias Akhomach is set to join Leeds United from Barcelona after being convinced of the project by Javi Gracia and Victor Orta, according to Mundo Deportivo (19 April).
The Whites have held an interest in the teenage winger for months, with Orta openly admitting it was a “complicated” transfer to complete.
However a deal now looks set to be done after the Spanish duo convinced the Barcelona starlet that Elland Road was the place to be.
“His intention was not going through a change of scenery but the negotiations with Leeds are well under way, as MD has learned, and what’s more, he had Milan and Sevilla also bidding,” they wrote.
“The fact that Javi Gracia, as coach, and Victor Orta, as sports director, lead the project would have convinced him.”
Good for something
It was reported by Sport (18 April) that a deal could be completed in the “next few hours” and he will join at the end of his contract on July 1st.
Orta is obviously good at his job when it comes to transfers, having played a big part in getting a lot of deals over the line that many wouldn’t have believed possible in recent years.
As for Gracia, it’s interesting that he is having a say on transfers too considering the fact that his long-term future isn’t necessarily secure at Elland Road either with our league position so precarious right now.
But obviously the club have worked hard on getting Ilias to come to Leeds for next season regardless of what division we’re playing in, and they’ve managed to get it done.
We’ll soon find out if Gracia can keep us in the division, but at least we know they’re good for something – getting young, talented players through the door.
In other Leeds news, Gary Neville has taken a swipe at Andrea Radrizzani after a £270m development emerged at Elland Road.