Valerenga goalkeeper Kristoffer Klaesson has been backed to make a ‘magical’ switch to Premier League giants Leeds United by Swedish football expert Joacim Jonsson, speaking to Dagsavisen.
This time last week, it looked like Victor Orta’s long-running pursuit of a player he’s has been tracking for the best part of two years was about to end in disappointment.
Reports coming out of Scandinavia suggested that, in the post-Brexit world, Klaesson would be denied the requisite work permit, his chances of a dream move to the Premier League seemingly going up in smoke.
Fortunately, those fears appear to have been misplaced.
Though Leeds still need approval from the FA, a breakthrough has been reached with Klaesson expected to fly to England and undergo medical tests at some point before the week is out, according to The Athletic.
“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,” admits Valerenga director Jorgen Ingebrigtsen.
“We have had a good dialogue with them. They obviously saw something in Kristoffer early on that they liked.”
Will Kristoffer Klaesson be a Leeds United player by next week?
A talented, 20-year-old shot-stopper, Klaesson has been tipped to become Norway’s number one in the near future.
And Jonsson, a former player, coach and scout in Norwegian football, believes this is a deal that suits everyone down to the ground.
“It’s a magical deal,” Jonsson says. “For all parties.”
Klaesson is expected to replace the departed Kiko Casilla at Elland Road, becoming Marcelo Bielsa’s new second-choice goalkeeper.
Leeds were also linked with Newcastle’s Freddie Woodman and Levante’s Dani Cardenas but, unless there is a late twist in the tale, Klaesson will become the fifth new face to join the Yorkshire giants this summer after Amari Miller, Sean McGurk, Lewis Bate and Junior Firpo.
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