Leeds United are reportedly close to agreeing on a deal to sign FC Barcelona wonderkid Ilias Akhomach, who is set to leave the Catalan club for free at the end of the contract.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the 18-year-old winger has opted against signing a new deal with the La Liga leaders with Leeds now close to reaching an agreement to bring the forward to Elland Road in the summer, the first deal of what could be many for Javi Gracia.
Even with Leeds sat in the relegation zone, Akhomach seems keen to join Leeds, with the attacker making quite a risk in leaving Barcelona for a side that could potentially be in the Championship next season should things continue to go wring for the Yorkshire giants.
Lauded as ‘the new Lionel Messi’ by former Barcelona director Patrick Kluivert, Akhomach has been one of the most highly-rated names in La Masia’s academy for quite some time, and Leeds inching towards signing the Spanish youth international is quite the coup, to say the least.
Indeed, Leeds signing Akhomach could give the Whites a similar impact that Wilfried Gnonto has had on the club this season, with the Italian wonderkid breaking into the senior team this campaign despite his young age and making himself a real prospect for the future.
Moreover, with Akhomach seemingly open to joining the club regardless of their Premier League status, Leeds might have a potential Championship star on their hands should the Whites do go down come the end of the season, making this signing a massive win-win.
Leeds have pulled a blinder signing Akhomach from Barcelona
Leeds’ youth recruitment in recent years has been nothing short of impressive, and signing Akhomach is another fantastic move from the Whites, with the teenager already a contender for first-team football under Gracia for next season.
Although Akhomach has made just three appearances for FC Barcelona’s senior team, the winger has shown incredible signs of promise at youth level for club and country, and the 18-year-old could be ready for the next leap in his career at Leeds.
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