Looking ahead towards potential promotion and the summer transfer window, Leeds United are now reportedly battling to sign an young centre-back ahead of Juventus.
Leeds transfer news
Those at Elland Road will be the last people to get ahead of themselves in the Championship, but even they can’t deny that Leeds’ promotion push has looked stronger than ever in recent weeks. With Sunderland awaiting on Monday evening, the Whites will have the chance to move as many as 10 points clear of the Black Cats, who sit fourth.
In fact, their push for promotion is going so well that a look towards the summer transfer window wouldn’t exactly be unwise. Whether it’s been Luton Town or the likes of Southampton in recent years, promoted sides have failed to prepare for the Premier League. Now, Leeds will be desperate to end that trend.
On that front, the rumours have certainly been coming thick and fast off the back of a quiet January transfer window, which includes those surrounding an impressive young centre-back.
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According to The i Paper, Leeds are now battling to sign Koni De Winter for Daniel Farke this summer but face plenty of competition in the race to welcome the Genoa centre-back.
Among those also reportedly plotting summer swoops are Juventus, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United which could yet create a frantic race when the transfer window swings open.
Juventus could yet become Leeds’ greatest competitor in pursuit of De Winter, given that they sold the defender to Genoa last summer and could now look to make up for their mistake.
Leeds, meanwhile, could benefit in the same way that Bournemouth benfited from a Juventus discard when they welcomed Dean Huijsen, who has gone onto star ever since arriving last summer.
"Gifted" De Winter is Premier League ready
Originally shown the door at Juventus as a youngster, De Winter has quickly moved on and become an important player at Genoa to make the Turin giants consider bringing him back.
Aside from the interruption of an ill-timed injury, the 22-year-old has started all 14 Serie A games that he’s been available for and is no doubt a player on the rise. Whether that rise continues in Italy remains to be seen, however.
Even at Juventus, De Winter was one to watch and found himself at the centre of Antonio Mango’s praise, who clearly saw what the Italian giants did not when assessing the defender. The U23 scout dubbed the Belgian a “gifted footballer” in 2023 and has been proven right ever since.
By signing De Winter, Leeds would be making a statement of intent ahead of their potential return to the Premier League. They’ll be desperate to achieve what Luton, Southampton and potentially others have failed to do in recent years by becoming an established top-flight side once again.