Leeds United shut down interest in Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips before bids were received
Leeds United did not receive transfer bids for Raphinha or Kalvin Phillips as they shut down interest before it even reached that stage, says Graham Smyth.
It had been reported yesterday that West Ham had made offers for both stars and a price of £50million was quoted for the English midfielder (The Guardian), which the club subsequently rejected.
But the Yorkshire Evening Post’s chief football writer reports that the Whites are so adamant about not losing either player that interest was shut down at an earlier stage.
Writing on his personal Twitter account, Smith reports: “We’re told there were no bids for Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, but calls were made and the interest was firmly rejected.
“Leeds United have been adamant throughout the window that they weren’t interested in selling big players this month.”
Encouraging
Countenancing the departure of either Raphinha or Phillips would have been unthinkable at this stage.
The club undoubtedly would not want to lose them even at the best of times but at this short notice time in the transfer window, and with the club scrapping for their lives this season, it simply was not something the ownership could consider.
But when big money starts being put on the table there is always a risk that a string of zeroes will catch the attention of the people making decisions.
So it is reassuring that advances from East London were shut down before that could happen.
Marcelo Bielsa would surely have hit the roof if the club had thought about an offer, and with the transfer window so far proving so frustrating when it comes to the reinforcements the squad badly needs, straining the resources of the manager even further would have been a disaster.
Fans will now turn their attentions to who might come through the door in the final hours of the month, with Brenden Aaronson’s move apparently dead in the water, and Liverpool’s Takumi Minamino reportedly now in the club’s sights (Independent).
In other Leeds United news, a Serie A star has reportedly been offered to the club in a late-window deal.