Report: Leeds-linked Omar Colley secures work permit, Sampdoria say he can leave
Leeds United have received a double boost in the race to sign Sampdoria defender Omar Colley, according to TuttoMercatoWeb.
The Italian news outlet claims the 28-year-old is one of the defenders being monitored ahead of the summer and that he will be allowed to leave the Serie A side at the end of the season.
A move should also be made more straightforward with the news that he obtained a work permit in February which will “open up new market scenarios, with Leeds in the background.”
This follows on from a report in March by Club Doria who said the Whites were among a five-strong list of Premier League suitors for the 28-year-old, whose agent Cheikh Fall told Sampnews24.com last year that a move to England was “very difficult, almost impossible.”
Colley has made 22 Serie A appearances for Sampdoria this season, who are under the tutelage of former Chelsea and Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri.
Defensive options stacking up
The links still don’t make much sense to us unless Marcelo Bielsa has a trick up his sleeve.
Diego Llorente and Robin Koch were signed last summer to be El Loco’s central defensive partnership this season and while injury has kept both players out the side for long periods, we still think that’s the duo to believe in.
Besides, club captain Liam Cooper is still in the ranks and has proven to be a reliable Premier League performer, as has 21-year-old Pascal Struijk who has stepped up admirably in 17 league starts.
The signs are that Llorente and Koch are past the worst of their injury issues and that means we have a strong quartet to battle it out next season.
Unless Bielsa wants to switch up formation and adopt a three-man defence, which seems unlikely, we think there are much more important areas to address in the transfer market, such as at left-back and across the forward line.
In other Leeds United news, PL boss swings for the Whites in £100m transfer claim.