Leeds United are big fans of Norwich City playmaker Gabriel Sara but face paying around £20 million while Daniel Farke’s side are expected to make another offer for Koln ace Dejan Ljubicic.
- Exclusive from Graeme Bailey
Having sold both Glen Kamara and Archie Gray to Rennes and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, Leeds United’s midfield could look very different when the Yorkshire giants kick off the new Championship campaign at home to Portsmouth on August 10th.
Leeds have already brought in Joe Rothwell on loan from Southampton.
Despite that – and the return of Brenden Aaronson from a spell at Union Berlin – last season’s beaten play-off finalists still look short of options in the centre of the park.
As such, Leeds are not giving up on their pursuit of Koln star Dejan Ljubicic.
The Whites have seen an opening bid of around £3.3 million rejected but are likely to return with another offer for the 26-year-old Austria international.
Ljubicic would likely take Kamara’s place while providing a bit more thrust and positivity in Farke’s engine room. Former Rangers man Kamara tended to keep his distribution safe and short. Ljubicic, in contraast likes to break the lines with forceful, punchy passes from deep.
Leeds United want Koln midfielder Dejan Ljubicic
Koln are not exactly negotiating from a position of strength. The Cathedral City side were relegated from the Bundesliga a few months ago, while Ljubicic has just one year left on his contract.
On the other hand, Ljubicic has not ruled out staying put. Director Christian Keller, meanwhile, remains confident that Leeds will not get their man.
“I assume that Dejo will stay at FC and play a very good season for us,” Keller tells Express. “I see Dejo laughing more often again. Last year, I didn’t see him playing football with as much joy as we were used to.
“For personal reasons, he didn’t have an easy time and was also repeatedly set back physically by many infections. We all know that if the mind is not well for a long period of time, it also has physical effects. I am pleased that Dejo is now feeling better again and is much more relaxed.
“Dejo can be a real difference maker for us.”
If Leeds’ chances of luring Ljubicic to Elland Road appear to hang in the balance, a more ambitious – and expensive – deal for Norwich City’s Gabriel Sara will also take a lot of work.
Norwich City value Gabriel Sara at £20 million
HITC understands that Leeds are indeed big fans of the gifted Brazilian. Norwich will demand around £20 million for a man who blossomed into one of the most influential, technically-gifted footballers anywhere in the Championship last term, however.
As such, an agreement between the two clubs may be beyond Leeds unless substantial funds can be freed up via the departures of Wilfried Gnonto or Crysencio Summerville.
Crystal Palace are admirers of Gnonto, HITC have been told. But The Eagles now look set to bring in ex-Watford flyer Ismaila Sarr from Marseille instead.
Sara, with his wand of a left foot and his devastating set pieces, has been worth every penny of the £6 million Norwich paid to bring him to Carrow Road from Sao Paulo back in 2022, fighting off competition from West Bromwich Albion.
Sara ended last season with 14 goals and 13 assists, with his exceptional creativity often overshadowing his underrated work ethic.
“On one side, nobody should underestimate that he has played more or less every game from the first to the final minute,” former Norwich boss David Wagner told the Eastern Daily Press in February. “And he has put on numbers that, in terms of goals and assists, are near the top of our team.
“He works very hard. Performance wise, he never is never really below par.
“He is an outstanding player. Not only for us but in this division. No one has a doubt about this. It’s crystal clear.”
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