Leeds United Target Set For Transfer U-Turn

Leeds United target Nadiem Amiri is set to turn down a move to Championship side Leeds United, instead opting to remain in Germany, according to a report from German website Kicker. 

The 26-year-old looked destined to complete a switch to Elland Road, following in the footsteps of recent signings Joel Piroe and Joe Rodon in trying to take the club back into the Premier League, but it appears as though the club may need to look at other transfer targets.

The German midfielder began his career with Hoffenheim, rising through the ranks before completing a €9 million switch to fellow giants Bayern Leverkusen in 2019. He has since had a brief loan spell with Italian side Genoa and has made over 130 appearances in the German top flight.

Similarly, Amiri has risen through the German youth ranks and to-date has been capped five times by the German national team, with his most recent appearance arriving in November 2020, during a 1-0 win against the Czech Republic in an international friendly.

Despite a difficult start to the 2023/24 Championship season, Leeds United earned their first victory of the season on Saturday as they came from behind to beat Ipswich Town 4-3 at Portman Road. Debutant Joel Piroe was amongst the goalscorer’s for Daniel Farke’s side.

Before that, Leeds had been held by Cardiff City and West Bromwich Albion as well as being beaten by Birmingham City in their first away game of the campaign, but victory has sent them back up towards the play-off places.

According to Kicker, Amiri has changed his mind again and now won’t be moving to the Championship side this summer. No official reasoning has been mentioned but it’s reported that the decision was down to the player and not the club’s themselves.

Writer’s View

The news that Amiri may not be moving to Elland Road is a blow for the Championship side, especially given that they will now need to find an alternative option before the transfer window closes later this week.

The lack of information surrounding Amiri’s decision is appealing but it isn’t the first time that a player has pulled out of a move at the final hurdle and it will be intriguing to see who Leeds target next.

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Leeds United claimed their first win of the Championship season on Saturday afternoon when they came out on top in an exciting seven-goal thriller against previously unbeaten Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

Daniel Farke was able to hand a debut to new United forward Joel Piroe, while Wilfried Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra returned to the starting XI as the boss’s recent selection issues begin the ease.

Leeds fell behind on just seven minutes when Joe Rodon struck a cross into his own net, but were quickly on level terms when Georginio Rutter opened his account for Leeds in style, holding off a series of challenges as he ran into the box and fired home.

Gnonto put Leeds ahead when he finished from close range, before Piroe scored a debut goal to cap off a blistering nine-minute-three-goal spell for the visitors.

Town were able to pull one back before the break when Nathan Broadhead capitalised on some poor defending, but Leeds two-goal cushion was restored on 74 minutes when Luis Sinisterra latched onto a Jamie Shackleton pass and slotted home in style. A last-gasp goal from Conor Chaplin will act as a reminder that Leeds still have work to do in the transfer market next week, but the victory was a very welcome one.

But who impressed you the most? Was it Piroe for his goalscoring debut? How about the returning duo of Gnonto and Sinisterra? We’re asking for your player ratings below…

Give us your ratings in the widget above and we’ll tally up the results and let you know how everyone scored.