Leeds United had a £23 million bid rejected by Napoli for midfielder Elif Elmas during the summer transfer window, as reported by Radio Kiss Kiss, via Napoli Piu.
A talented number ten capable of changing a game in an instant and easing the creative burden on Pablo Hernandez? Check. A winger with an eye for goal? Tick. Two solid centre-halves capable of stepping into the number six role in Kalvin Phillips absence? Yes and yes.
In Rodrigo Moreno, Raphina, Robin Koch and Diego Llorente, Leeds invested heavily and sensibly over the summer, reinforcing a number of key positions along the way.
But if there is one area the Championship champions failed to strengthen, it is at the heart of midfield.
Links with Atalanta’s Ruslan Malinovskyi and Fiorentina’s Erick Pulgar came to nothing, while Cagliari turned down an approach for Uruguay enforcer Nahitan Nandez late in the window.
Reports out of Naples are claiming that Leeds were keen on yet another Serie A play-maker but Elmas, too, proved to be out of Victor Orta’s reach.
Leeds, Benfica, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig all made offers in the region of £22 million. But Napoli had no intention of selling a silky, skillful 21-year-old who remains a big part of Gennaro Gattuso’s plans at the Stadio San Paolo.
Elmas, who plays with Leeds’ maverick winger Gianni Alioski for the North Macedonian national team, has made ten appearances in all competitions this season, drifting in from the left to pull the strings in the final third.
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