Rasmus Kristensen 'transfer decision made' in £5m Leeds United development
Rasmus Kristensen is a name Leeds United fans could be forgiven for casting into the annuls of the bad signings which time forgot.
The 27-year-old, however, remains on the books at Elland Road despite his most recent appearance in a white shirt coming almost two years ago – the last of 21 Premier League starts as Leeds were relegated.
Pitched as a successor to club stalwart Luke Ayling when signed by Jesse Marsch in 2022, Kristensen never hit such heights and was one of the arrivals who paved their road back to the Championship.
Since United dropped back into the second tier, though, Kristensen has been nowhere to be seen in LS11, first heading out on loan to Roma and currently plying his trade at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.
Rasmus Kristensen wanted on permanent move from Leeds United
Kristensen's displays in Germany have impressed to such an extent that Bild reported on 12 February the news that Frankfurt want to keep the Dane permanently, and have a purchase option to do just that.
However, Eintracht are in no mood to pay the £12.5million required to exercise that clause in Kristensen's loan deal, and have "intensified" talks with Leeds over knocking that price down to roughly £5m.
Kristensen "only wants Frankfurt", having become a regular in the Bundesliga, and with Kristensen one of the highest earners at Elland Road, there is belief that a deal can be struck.
Rasmus Kristensen transfer depends on Leeds United success
Although few decision-makers – and even fewer supporters – at Elland Road will want to see Kristensen don their colours again, they'll certainly be in no mood for Frankfurt to barter them down further.
The German side had previously attempted to pursue an £8.3m permanent fee for Kristensen, still lower than the agreed clause of £12.5m, but bringing that down even further won't go down well.
Frankfurt see Kristensen as "an absolute regular, a leader and an indispensable part of the dressing room" – making their attempt to pay less than half an agreed clause to sign him somewhat baffling.
With Jayden Bogle's form – and that of Archie Gray before him – helping Leeds fans to forget all about Kristensen's hapless displays for the Whites, Daniel Farke's side are well on course for promotion.
Returning to the Premier League would give United the bargaining power when it comes to Kristensen's future – and they'll be much better able to demand that Frankfurt stump up their agreed £12.5m fee.
Failure to do so, however, would leave Leeds very vulnerable at the negotiating table, and as they press on with their attempts to sign Kristensen, Frankfurt will certainly be hoping for the latter.