Leeds United were reportedly closing in on signing Pierre-Michel Lasogga from Bundesliga outfit Hamburg but the deal may have hit the buffers.
With Hamburg desperate to get Pierre-Michel Lasogga, one of their highest earners, off the wage bill, interest from Leeds United would have been well received.
And the Hamburger Morgenpost added to the speculation by reporting that the German striker is keen on a move to Elland Road, with Hamburg more than happy to let him go this summer albeit most likely on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy.
With Hamburger Abendblatt reporting that Lasogga is on around £3 million a year at the perennial Bundesliga relegation dodgers, it’s no surprise that they would look to free up funds by sanctioning his exit.
The problem, however, is figuring out how Leeds could afford to pay a player such an amount – especially when you consider that talisman Chris Wood is on a comparatively meagre £8,000-a-week, per The Mirror.
Therefore, the report adds that Leeds would have to rely on Hamburg subsidising the majority of Lasogga’s wages in order for the deal to happen. Considering that the German giants were keen to get the striker off the wage bill, this latest development hasn’t gone down well.
The report claims that Hamburg were willing to subsidise around half of Lasogga’s pay but may have to offer far more, with Leeds keen to pay Lasogga around the same salary earned by Wood.
Therefore, although the deal could still happen, it may prove more complex than either side had hoped.
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