Leeds United have reportedly decided to sign Gamba Osaka midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi.
According to the Daily Mail, Leeds United are confident that Yosuke Ideguchi will qualify for a work permit next season once he has participated in the World Cup.
The January transfer window is just a matter of weeks away, and Leeds – who were busy over the summer following Victor Orta’s arrival as director of football – and plans are being made for January.
In recent months, Leeds have been strongly linked with a deal for Gamba Osaka ace Yosuke Ideguchi, with head of football development in Asia, Toshiya Fujita, believed to have played a part in the interest.
Now, the Daily Mail report that Leeds have decided to go through with a deal for Ideguchi in January, though work permit issues mean that he will be loaned out to another European club when his expected January move goes through.
It’s claimed that Leeds are confident that he will receive a work permit for next season once he has earned more international caps at the World Cup, whilst the Whites also want to push through an early deal in January so that they don’t have to compete for his signature after he plays at the World Cup in Russia.
BBC Sport report that the fee involved is around £500,000, with Leeds now hoping that he can eventually become a key first-team player for Thomas Christiansen in the heart of the Leeds midfield.
Ideguchi, 21, has come up through the ranks with Gamba Osaka, and has notched nine goals in 95 games for the J.League side, emerging as one of the top young midfielders in Japan.
With eight caps for Japan too, Ideguchi looks set for a key role for his country at the World Cup, and Leeds have sensibly moved quickly to land him before he hits the world stage – and will now hope that he can make his Whites debut next season.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
