Leeds United linked striker Habib Diallo is one step closer to the exit at Metz, with ButFootball claiming that the Ligue 1 outfit have his replacement lined up already.
Then again, finding a man capable of stepping into the shoes of a giant Senegal international will be easier said than done. With 12 goals in just 26 games, Diallo is the main reason why Metz avoided relegation back to Ligue 2 this season – a point manager Vincent Hongon was keen to make last week.
But with football’s financial crisis set to hit every Ligue 1 club hard (except those bankrolled by Middle Eastern oligarchs of course), Metz may have no choice but to cash in on their talisman and top scorer.
“He is 24-years-old, it is time for him to pursue his career elsewhere,” club president Bernard Serin told France Bleu recently. “Our objective is to sell Habib Diallo.”
Metz want £18 million for the 6ft 1ins targetman, according to LeFoot, although Leeds will be hoping that a more affordable deal can be agreed in a shifting market. Either way, Diallo will only be a realistic option for Marcelo Bielsa’s Whites if promotion to the Premier League can be secured in the remaining few Championship fixtures.
According to ButFootball, Diallo already has one foot out of the door with Metz choosing Ermedin Demirovic, a rangy number nine who scores for fun at St Gallen in Switzerland, as a readymade successor.
If all goes to plan, Patrick Bamford’s status as Leeds’ first-choice centre-forward may be under threat.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
