Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United are reportedly hoping to bring Metz’s Ligue 1 star Habib Diallo to Elland Road if they are promoted to the Premier League.
Reported £18 million Leeds United target Habib Diallo will be sold this summer, Metz president Bernard Serin has told FranceBleu.
Things were so much simpler about six weeks ago, when Marcelo Bielsa’s Yorkshire giants were first linked with a move for one of the hottest strikers in Ligue 1.
Leeds were cruising to promotion at the time, top of the Championship and with a return to the big time seemingly an inevitability.
But now, with the entire season in doubt, absolutely nobody knows for sure what the future holds at Elland Road.
Even if Leeds are promoted, a deal for Diallo might be beyond their financial means these days. Metz were reported to want a staggering £18 million for their goal-scoring talisman, according to LeFoot.
Then again, Metz too will be hit hard by the global health crisis. And with Grenat president Serin admitting that Diallo has been placed on the market, this may be an admission that Metz are willing to drop their demands by a penny or two.
“He is 24-years-old, it is time for him to pursue his career elsewhere,” Serin says, with a readymade replacement lined up already.
“Our objective is to sell Habib Diallo and leave more room in the attack for Ibrahima Niane.”
The rangy Senegal international has scored 12 goals in 27 games this season and, should he arrive, Diallo will be expected to provide competition for the hard-working yet perennially misfiring Patrick Bamford.
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