Leeds want loan-to-buy deal for £18m-rated Euro player – reports
Leeds United want to sign Florentino Luis on a loan-to-buy basis from Benfica, according to Portuguese news outlet Maisfutebol.
Record has recently reported that Leeds have approached Benfica about a potential summer deal while TuttoMercatoWeb claims that the 20-year-old midfielder is valued at least £18million.
Maisfutebol now adds that the Whites are hoping to sign Florentino on an initial loan deal that has the option to be made permanent in the future.
Leeds have gone down a similar route with some of their signings under Marcelo Bielsa.
Illan Meslier and Helder Costa have been snapped up after spending the season on loan while Jean-Kevin Augustin and Jack Harrison could still arrive under similar circumstances.
Florentino is a good young player who’s featured mainly as a defensive midfielder for Benfica this season as they finished second in the Portuguese top-flight.
The Portugal Under-21 international made 18 appearances in all competitions for the Lisbon giants but would have no doubt played more if he didn’t have to deal with an injury setback and dropping down the pecking order amid Julian Weigl’s arrival from Borussia Dortmund in January.
Florentino’s career seems to be at a crossroads.
He’s not a first-choice midfielder at Estadio da Luz and as he’s 20-years-old, he needs to be playing regularly to continue his development.
However we simply do not see him getting more senior football at Elland Road if he does head to Yorkshire this summer as Kalvin Phillips has the defensive midfield slot locked down.
We wouldn’t mind Florentino on a loan-to-buy basis but only if Leeds have the option to sign him at their discretion.
But in terms of the player, we don’t think joining the Whites would be the best career choice for him right now.
In other Leeds United news, Sky Sports has detailed an update on Ben White’s future.