Leeds United ready to pay £34.7m to sign Barcelona wonder Abde as transfer news emerges
Leeds United are ready to pay £34.7million for the signing of Barcelona winger Abde this summer, according to Sport.
The highly-rated 21-year-old has impressed in La Liga this season while out on loan at Osasuna, with the Whites already holding talks with his agent about a potential move to Elland Road this summer. [Sport, 14 April]
With Abde’s chances of breaking into the first team at Camp Nou slim, and Barcelona needing to raise upwards of £200million to alleviate debts, his sale is being considered.
The report from Sport [18 May] says that the deal is no longer minor and that Leeds United are ready to splash £34.7million on the brand-new attacking transfer.
Not needed right now
Although Abde looks like a highly exciting transfer on paper, it simply isn’t what Leeds need right now.
Firstly, the club are yet to even secure their Premier League future for next season – a factor that would likely be imperative to any transfer – but also, this isn’t the area of the pitch that requires any investment.
After a busy past couple of years in the transfer market, Leeds United have already brought in a whole host of young attackers – most of whom have failed to hit the heights expected of them.
Sam Allardyce currently has the likes of Willy Gnonto, Jack Harrison, Luis Sinisterra, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter at his disposal on the wings, so no more investment is required out wide, especially at this lofty price tag.
Instead, the Whites need to invest in further depth in midfield, defensive reinforcements that can help alleviate the sinking ship at the back, and a proven striker who will hit the ground running at Elland Road.
Abde might be a talented youngster, but Leeds should steer well clear of this expensive-looking transfer.
In other Leeds United news, a partial closure of Elland Road could now be on the cards with an investigation underway