Agustin Alvarez will not be joining Leeds United in the Premier League this summer with Sassuolo agreeing a £9.5 million deal to take the Penarol striker to Serie A, as reported by Football Italia.
Two down, but how many more to go?
Leeds have already crossed an attacking midfielder and a right-back of their summer wishlist, raiding Jesse Marsch’s old employers for Red Bull Salzburg duo Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen, but an extensive summer rebuild is only just beginning. There are still leaks in the ceiling, a fresh coat of paint required here and there.
Leeds’ overreliance on Patrick Bamford – the only senior centre-forward in their squad – was laid brutally bare as the England international spent pretty much the entirety of the 2021/22 season on the treatment table.
But 21-year-old Alvarez will not be arriving to ease the burden on Bamford’s shoulders.
Leeds linked Agustin Alvarez seals Sassuolo deal
“The offer is worth 12 million dollars (£9.5m) for 80 per cent of his contract, plus 2 million dollars in bonuses based on performance-related targets,” confirms Penarol president Ignacio Ruglio, after green-lighting a bid from Italian outfit Sassuolo.
“We accepted the offer and are waiting for confirmation.”
Alvarez’s agent, meanwhile, believes that the four-time Uruguay international could be unveiled at the Mapei Stadium before the week is out.
“In the next few hours, we will sign the documentation and the contract with Sassuolo,” he says. “The idea is to go to Italy at the weekend. (There was) contact with River Plate but we decided to go to Europe.”
La Republica reported a couple of months ago that Alvarez – the latest fresh-faced centre-forward to emerge from a country that gave us Edinson Cavani, Luis Suarez and Darwin Nunez – was a man in demand at Elland Road.
Agustin has hardly been prolific in 2021/22, however, scoring just one goal in his last 21 games.
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