Ezgjan Alioski has joined new club – and it may help Leeds United sign unwanted striker

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Leeds United want Mergim Berisha and they may have been given a boost in that pursuit by a familiar face in Ezgjan Alioski.

Whites fans have a lot of love for Alioski even after leaving Elland Road last summer.

The Macedonian star became something of a cult hero at Leeds and racked up 170 appearances before joining Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia last summer.

Alioski is on the move again though, this time penning a season-long loan move with Turkish side Fenerbahce.

That’s an interesting move for Alioski, but it also has an impact on Leeds as they seek to sign Fenerbahce striker Berisha.

Leeds United want Mergim Berisha

Reports from Yeni Safak in Turkey suggested that Leeds had made a move to sign Fenerbahce hitman Berisha.

It was claimed that Fenerbahce wanted £4.25million whilst Leeds were proposing a deal in the region of £1.7million.

Further reports from Turkey have indicated that Fenerbahce are desperate to sell Berisha as they need to bring down the number of foreign players in their squad.

Alioski is yet another foreign player added to the Fenerbahce squad, exacerbating that problem.

Gazete Vatan note that Fenerbahce now have 22 foreign players and nine foreign players have now been told to leave the club as a result.

One of them is Berisha, with that report suggesting that Leeds are in negotiations with Fenerbahce about a deal.

Jorge Jesus has no plans for Berisha and he will be axed alongside the likes of Steven Caulker, Max Meyer and Mbwana Samatta, all of whom have played in the Premier League.

Berisha, 24, played under Leeds boss Jesse Marsch at Red Bull Salzburg and racked up 22 goals in his final season under the American coach.

Berisha then headed to Fenerbahce and scored seven times in 31 games last season.

The German isn’t quite as high-profile as targets like Arnaud Kalimuendo and Charles De Ketelaere, but he knows Marsch well and could offer solid cover and competition for Patrick Bamford.

Marsch has been backed with signing his former players like Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen, so a move for Berisha could make sense – even more so now Alioski has made his move to Turkey.