Leeds United on alert after Marseille snub makes clear Bamba Dieng has to leave
Leeds United have been “alerted” to the fact that Marseille striker Bamba Dieng needs to move during this window, according to Jeunes Footeux.
The Whites need to bring in a striker before the window closes as the injuries to Patrick Bamford and Joe Gelhardt before and during the draw with Southampton have highlighted the risky situation they are in without another option.
Senegal international Dieng is a player they have an interest in [90min], and it appears he is set to leave the Stade Velodrome in search of games after being left out of the squad entirely for the Ligue 1 draw with Brest on Sunday (14 August) night.
After the French side signed Alexis Sanchez following his release from Inter, Dieng’s fears over playing time had been sparked, and manager Igor Tudor’s decision to exclude him completely this weekend has proven them justified.
The Jeunes Footeux report says: “Bamba Dieng received a message that could not be clearer: he will have to leave OM to get playing time despite his desire to stay in Marseille.”
Interest from across Europe has been sparked, including from Lucien Favre’s Nice, but it is English sides who are particularly involved according to this report, with United apparently battling with Fulham and Newcastle for the 22-year-old who scored seven league goals last season.
Jump
The forward made 25 appearances in the French top flight last term, admittedly nearly always as a substitute, so the fact that he isn’t making the squad any more certainly suggests he is on the move.
His goal tally isn’t spectacular but considering he wasn’t getting a regular run in the side to build up a rhythm it actually looks pretty good.
If United have been alerted then they need to leap into action quickly otherwise this will just be the latest striker in their early 20s from Europe that doesn’t arrive, after Charles De Ketelaere and Arnaud Kalimuendo.
Jesse Marsch has previously spoken about not wanting to block the pathway to opportunities for Gelhardt in the first team, and that is absolutely the right consideration.
But he has to balance that with how often those opportunities are being blocked by Joffy’s own fitness complaints, which are cropping up at the worst times for him.
Neither he or Bamford are expected to be out for long, but the scare from the Southampton draw which saw Dan James toiling unproductively up front once again should be enough to shock United into making a signing soon.
If the fee is right Dieng could be the man, and if he is evidently no longer required in the south of France then perhaps his price tag will reflect that.
In other Leeds United news, another of the Whites’ transfer targets from this window is now moving elsewhere for way less money than the bid from Elland Road that failed.