Salernitana to sell players before buying Leeds United defender Leo Hjelde
Serie A side Salernitana are set to offload some of their talents before signing Leeds United defender Leo Hjelde, according to Tutto Salernitana.
The outlet reported (11 July) that the billionaire-owned club are looking to sell a number of defensive options, including Andre Motoc and Frederico Fazio, as they have eight central defenders currently at the club.
The 19-year-old’s versatility allows him to play both centrally and at full-back, making him desirable to the Italian side.
Waiting game
Hjelde has been linked with a move to Salernitana since June [Sky Sports Italia] and has also had interest from former Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani’s new club Sampdoria [Calciomercato].
But the Danilo Iervolino-owned side looks in pole position to get his signature, but Leeds may have to wait until Salernitana organise their own transfer policy, as they look inundated with centre-back options.
Leeds fans meanwhile may be disappointed to see Hjelde go after the defender’s successful loan spell at Rotherham United last season and frequent appearances for the Norway under-21 squad have shown him to be a valuable asset.
While he is certainly a player still in development, Leeds’ relegation to the Championship may have been the perfect platform for him to establish himself at Elland Road and progress under new manager Daniel Farke and earn more game time than if the club remained in the Premier League.
Hjelde is a physical presence, standing at six-foot two-inches but his agility and strong ability at 1v1s shows him to have the profile and potential of a quality centre-back.
Meanwhile, he is adept at clearances, making 3.25 per 90 (95th percentile) while also registering 1.83 interceptions per 90 (93rd percentile) [FBRef].
But this transfer may be one that is completed closer to the end of the window, as plenty of cogs need to turn at the Italian side before a concrete deal is offered.