FC Barcelona have reportedly given up trying to convince Ilias Akhomach to sign a new contract, with the rumoured Arsenal target set to join Leeds United as a free agent.
According to Sport, the Catalan giants have conceded defeat in tying the La Masia wonderkid to a long-term contract, with Leeds now set to sign Akhomach for nothing this summer having been convinced to join the Yorkshire side by sporting director Vitor Orta.
The news will come as a blow not only to Barcelona but also to Arsenal, who according to Sport were interested in signing Akhomach. However, it is Leeds who have incredibly won the race to sign the 19-year-old winger at the end of this season.
One of Barcelona’s brightest prospects and a talent who has, of course, been compared to Lionel Messi, Akhomach heads to Leeds where the winger could be a regular for the Elland Road side next season, especially if the Whites fail to survive in the Premier League and drop back down to the Championship.
Indeed, whilst Akhomach might not be too keen on playing second-tier football, starring for a club as big as Leeds has clearly been sold to the Spanish youth international, who could become a sensation in the Championship should the Whites endure their worst possible fate.
As for Arsenal and Barcelona, the European giants will feel stunned that they haven’t managed to convince Akhomach to sign contracts with them, yet the prospect of playing regular football at a senior level has clearly won out over becoming a potential starter at a top side.
Akhomach could thrive at Leeds if given immediate first-team football
Akhomach is making quite the career decision in rejecting Arsenal and Barcelona to instead sign for Leeds, yet if the Yorkshire giants can hand the teenager immediate first-team football, the youngster will be more than justified in his choice to move to Elland Road.
As we know, the most important thing a player of Akhomach’s age can do to take his development to the next level is to play top-level senior football, and although Leeds’ Premier League status hangs in the balance, even competing in the Championship would be better than remaining in Barcelona’s academy or Arsenal’s U-21s.
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