Junior Firpo to cure UEFA headache as offer to quit Leeds emerges
Junior Firpo seems destined to leave Leeds United when his contract expires this summer.
The Dominican Republic defender was a crucial figure for Daniel Farke in the club’s Championship promotion-winning campaign last time out, notching four goals and 10 assists from the backline.
The West Yorkshire outfit are keen to keep Firpo around and have offered him a new deal, but he is believed to be interested in the possibility of a return to Real Betis, who have been strongly pursuing him lately.
With no news on Firpo’s response to his new deal, the Whites are seemingly resigned to losing their first-choice left-back.
Firpo helps Betis to meet Europa League squad regulations
Leeds have started to put contingency plans in place for Firpo’s departure, and have approached Aston Villa over the possibility of signing Alex Moreno, another former Betis man.
Moreno is another left-back who has caught the eye of his former employers, with the Sevilla-based side reportedly also considering him as an alternative option to Firpo. Betis have a contract offer on the table for Firpo at present, and have also previously been in contact with Villa over a move for Moreno.
However, Firpo holds a crucial advantage, which makes him a slightly more attractive option for Betis, according to the print edition of the Spanish newspaper, ABC (10 June, pg. 61).
The 28-year-old came through the youth ranks at the club, meaning he would help them to meet the registration requirements for their Europa League campaign next term.
This has been a recurring issue for the La Liga giants in recent years, and the signing of Firpo would go some of the way towards easing that headache.
Leeds should give up on Firpo and move on to Moreno
Given the advantages that signing Firpo could bring for Betis, it makes sense for the Whites to almost turn their back on the possibility of keeping him at Elland Road.
The left-back seemingly has his heart set on returning to his boyhood club, and with his contract due to expire in the next few weeks, Leeds are powerless to prevent that.
As a result, it makes sense for them to progress their interest in Moreno instead. The newly-promoted side were quoted a price tag of £5million by Villa for the 32-year-old’s services, and that could be a shrewd piece of business given the top-level experience that he possesses.
Firpo is likely capable of producing more going forward, but Moreno has that nous and understanding of the Premier League that Leeds arguably lack in key areas of their team.
It’s rare that the opportunity to sign someone like Moreno, who has played in either La Liga or the Premier League for the majority of his career, arises for just £5m. With that in mind, Leeds should surely jump at the opportunity to bring him in.