‘Very happy’: Director relieved £10m ace didn’t join Leeds United

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Utrecht are “very happy” that Leeds United failed to complete the signing of Gyrano Kerk during the transfer window, technical director Jordy Zuidam has told FCUpdate.

The Eredivisie can be a cruel world at times.

You spend years honing the talents of a young player, giving him a chance in the first team and watching on with pride as he develops into one of the most influential players in the league.

Then, in the blink of an eye, he has suddenly outgrown the relatively small pond that is the Dutch top flight.

And it looked for all the world as if 24-year-old Kerk was destined to follow in the footsteps of Luis Suarez, Hakim Ziyech, Matthijs de Ligt and co during the summer – especially when Marcelo Bielsa embarked on a personal scouting mission to Utrecht earlier in the year.

But, a matter of days after The Mirror (27 September, page 74) reported Leeds hoped to tie up a £10 million deal for Kerk, the West Yorkshire giants suddenly turned their attention to Rennes winger Raphinha instead.

“We are very happy with that because he is a boy who was and is the subject of a lot of interest,” Zuidam said.

“And we also received serious offers. We are pleased that Kerk is still playing at FC Utrecht, with his long-term contract.”

Kerk has added a ruthless streak to his searing pace in the past 14 months or so, scoring 13 goals in 33 games since the start of 2019/20.

According to AD, the Amsterdam-born forward wanted to leave Utrecht during the transfer window but no-one made an offer that seriously tempted Utrecht to cash in.