Championship side Leeds United face competition from La Liga champions Barcelona for West Ham United starlet Domingos Quina, according to reports.
Leeds United’s chances of signing Domingos Quina from West Ham United look more unlikely now than ever before.
The Mirror (live blog, 2pm) reported earlier in July that Leeds had made contact with the Premier League club about signing their 19-year-old midfielder who, despite his lack of opportunities at the London Stadium, is still viewed as one of the biggest prospects in Portuguese football right now.
Although Leeds’ hopes took a hit when the Mirror claimed that Quina was also targeted by Bundesliga duo Werder Bremen and Hoffenheim, with the latter due to play Champions League football next season.
Now, however, Sky Sports are stating that Leeds would be forced to take on a genuine European Goliath. It is understood that Barcelona are the latest club to enquire about Quina, who could be sold for just £600,000 with a year left on his contract.
Elland Road, then, appears a hard sell amid the chance to play at the Camp Nou. But should Quina do the unexpected and snub Barcelona for a move to West Yorkshire?
It all depends on how determined he is to play first-team football right now.
Barca may boast arguably the most famous academy in world football but, as any frustrated Catalan will tell you, there has been a worrying lack of talent emerging into the first-team from La Masia in the last five or six years.
The La Liga champions have started to go down the ‘Galactico’ route of big-name signings, a la Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele, while their budding youngsters are forced elsewhere or left in the reserves. Sergi Roberto is the only La Masia graduate to really establish himself in the first-team over recent seasons.
So the chances of Quina playing regularly in La Liga look slim. But if he chose Leeds, the teenager could quickly become a key player under the legendary Marcelo Bielsa.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
