Real Betis are willing to sell Leeds United target Alex Moreno for a cut-price fee of £5 million after the defender joined forces with super-agent Pini Zahavi, as reported by Diario de Sevilla.
When Zahavi rides into battle, a transfer is usually not too far away.
The Israeli agent has presided over some of the biggest and most controversial moves in modern football history, taking Rio Ferdinand to Manchester United, Ashley Cole to Chelsea and David Alaba to Real Madrid (though that particular saga is yet to reach its conclusion).
Put simply: when a player wants a move, Zahavi is usually the first man he calls. A transfer market equivalent to Winston Wolf; football’s very own ‘Fixer’.
So when Moreno joined forces with the 77-year-old in March, Betis fans probably knew that the former Real Valladolid flyer would not be wearing green and white stripes in 2021/22 (Goal).
Moreno has a £35 million release clause in his contract but, after falling behind the former Barcelona youngster Miranda in Manuel Pellegrini’s pecking order, Real Betis may be willing to sell for as little as £5 million.
A knockdown fee will give Leeds confidence that a summer swoop can be completed, with TEAMtalk reporting that the swasbuckling Moreno is one of the names being considered by Marcelo Bielsa’s entertainers.
Leeds want an attack-minded left-back to replace the out-of-contract Gianni Alioski and compete with Stuart Dallas. Moreno, aggressive, forward-thinking, fast and positive, appears to be the prime candidate.
“It is true that they have called my agent, big clubs, but I don’t know anything,” Moreno told BeIN Sports in April.
“It is a source of pride that big clubs notice me.”
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