Valerenga’s sporting director has confirmed Leeds United’s interest in goalkeeper Kristoffer Klaesson but work-permit problems could scupper his move to the Premier League, as reported by Dagsavisen.
Last week, the Yorkshire Evening Post listed three talented young shot-stoppers Leeds have identified as potential replacements for the departing Kiko Casilla.
Since then, Freddie Woodman appears to be closing in on a move to Bournemouth while Levante have stepped up their attempts to extend Dani Cardenas’ contract.
That’s two down, then, and one to go.
Furthermore, a man Leeds have been chasing since 2019 may also be out of reach, with Dagsavisen reporting 20-year-old Klaesson is unlikely to obtain the requisite work permit in this post-Brexit era.
The news comes 24 hours after Jorgen Ingebrigtsen, Valerenga’s sporting director, admitted Leeds-based counterpart Victor Orta had shown an interest in taking long-term transfer target Klaesson to West Yorkshire.
Leeds want Klaesson but Brexit could kibosh the deal
“There’s interest in many of our players. The activity has picked up a lot lately,” Ingebrigtsen explains.
“Victor (Orta) is one of the brightest in the subject (of player recruitment). Leeds arrived on the field (for Klaesson) in the summer of 2019 and have been very good. We have had a good dialogue with them.
“They obviously saw something of Kristoffer early on that they liked.”
Those pesty Brexit rules have already scuppered a couple of deals since the turn of the year, with Arsenal missing out on the chance to sign Bulgarian defender Valentin Antov.
USA youngsters Chris Gloster and Travian Sousa, meanwhile, saw potential moves to Newcastle United and Liverpool respectively hit the buffers.
So Leeds’ pursuit of a goalkeeper – one capable of putting pressure on number one Illan Meslier – looks set to continue for the foreseeable future.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
