Leeds United could sign Yosuke Ideguchi for a bargain fee but look to have put the deal on the backburner.
It’s not almost three months since the reports broke linking Yosuke Ideguchi with a January move to Leeds United.
Director of football Victor Orta had stirred the pot when he stated that Leeds were close to completing a ‘surprise’ signing from Asia – with Gamba Osaka’s Japanese international Ideguchi later revealed to be the man in question.
But with the transfer window opening in a month, it appears that the deal could be off the table for now.
Because LeedsLive claim that The Whites could now shelve any move for the 21-year-old despite previously expressing their interest – possibly due to concerns that Ideguchi would not be granted a work permit having only broken into the Japanese national set-up this year.
But Leeds are certainly running a risk. Belgian side Sint-Truiden are already understood to be interested and, with a World Cup on the horizon, Ideguchi will no doubt have plenty more admirers if he makes a positive impression in Russia next summer.
And with The Sun claiming that the 2016 J-League Rookie of the Year would set Leeds back just £700,000, their decision to bide their time raises further questions.
After all, a good World Cup will only increase Ideguchi’s price tag. And even if he was denied a work permit initially, there is nothing to stop Leeds simply loaning the midfielder out to a European side until he is allowed to play in England.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
