PL club ready to sell Leeds-linked centre-back to fund move for £18m-rated player – report
Leeds United have been handed a boost over Juan Foyth with the Telegraph reporting that Tottenham are ready to cash in on the centre-back.
The newspaper claims that Spurs are looking to raise funds to help sign £18million-rated Lille right-back Zeki Celik.
It is understood that the London club are willing to sell Foyth, 22, and Serge Aurier to land the Turkey international, who is described as one of Jose Mourinho’s “top targets”.
Leeds have been linked with a whole host of Argentinean players since winning promotion to the Premier League but Foyth is someone whose name has cropped up more than once during Marcelo Bielsa’s time at Elland Road.
Italian news outlet TuttoMercatoWeb has recently reported that a deal for Leeds to sign the 22-year-old centre-back is edging closer while The Sun has reported that a transfer could cost the Whites £15million.
Leeds simply must sign one or two new centre-backs this summer now that Ben White’s loan spell has ended and he’s returned to Brighton.
Although the Yorkshire club are widely reported to be interested in re-signing White, we know that Brighton are going to be a tough nut to crack and a deal isn’t looking the most likely at the moment.
Would Foyth be a good enough replacement for White?
For starters, the former Estudiantes defender has Premier League and international experience under his belt whereas White does not.
According to stats by WyScout, Foyth had a higher pass completion rate than White when playing at centre-back in the last season while the Argentina international also made more interceptions, more clearances and a had a better percentage of defensive duels won per 90 minutes than the ex-Elland Road loan star.
We’re not saying Foyth is better than White but the stats do show that the Argentine could be a solid replacement this summer and Tottenham’s eagerness to sell him is only going to help Leeds strike a deal.
In other Leeds United news, this Sky pundit has been raving about a “dynamic” Leeds-linked forward.