Leeds United
Championship
Medical booked in as Leeds agree £5m deal for summer signing number four; Farke eyes Prem winger next
Jayden Bogle and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi are targets for Leeds United
Leeds United will this weekend ramp up their transfer activity with a deal agreed to sign Sheffield United right-back Jayden Bogle for £5m with the player due to travel to Thorp Arch for a medical on Saturday – and he could soon be followed by a top Crystal Palace attacker, who is next on Daniel Farke’s wishlist.
The Whites are preparing for another season in the second tier after cruelly missing out on promotion not once, but twice last season. Their 90-point haul was the first time since 1997 that a side in the second tier failed to gain promotion to the Premier League, while their attempts at doing it through the play-offs ended in heartbreak when Southampton edged them out 1-0 at Wembley.
Part of their ‘failure’ last season was blamed on their slow start to the transfer window and, with a number of players leaving Elland Road last summer, it was not until the window shut at the end of August that Leeds finally had a settled squad and were able to push for promotion.
By then, they had already fallen seven points adrift of both Leiceser and Ipswich, the two sides who trumped them to the two automatic promotion places.
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As a result, it has not gone unnoticed by frustrated supporters that, with the new season due to start three weeks today (Saturday), history appears to be repeating itself.
Leeds transfers: Deal agreed to sign Jayen Bogle
And with a plethora of stars having already neared the exit door, the biggest being the £40m sale of Archie Gray to Tottenham, Leeds have so far made a relatively mundane start to the window with Joe Rodon signing on a permanent deal, Joe Rothwell arriving on loan from Bournemouth and the return of keeper Alex Cairns, who will be their third-choice option.
However, signing number four of the summer will be done on Saturday with sources confirming to TEAMtalk that a deal has now been agreed to bring Sheffield United right-back Jayden Bogle to Elland Road.
The 23-year-old’s deal at Bramall Lane is due to expire next summer and, with Leeds having two previous bids fall short, the player has made it clear that he wants to make the move to West Yorkshire.
Now a deal in the region of £5m has been agreed, with Bogle due to travel north on Saturday to undergo talks and a medical with the Whites. The news of Bogle’s impending switch has also been confirmed by trusted journalist John Percy.
It all goes to plan, Bogle will sign a four-year deal at Elland Road, and bringing an end to his four-year stint with the Blades.
Bogle appeared on 103 occasions for the Blades, scoring 12 times and assisting three times from 103 appearances. Capable of playing either as an orthodox right-back or in a more advanced right-midfield role, Bogle will be a welcome addition to the Leeds ranks.
The Blades had valued Bogle at £7m so for Leeds to get the deal done for £5m will be pleasing to the club’s owners.
Farke chasing Crystal Palace winger next
Leeds, however, are far from done and it’s understood that an enquiry has also been made for Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.
The Whites have waved farewell to Jack Harrison on another season’s loan to Everton, while two of last season’s top stars in Crysencio Summerville and Wilfried Gnonto continue to attract strong attention.
Gnonto remains on Everton’s transfer shortlist despite the breakdown of Everton takeover talks with the Friedkin Group and with the Whites holding out for a minimum £25m fee.
TEAMtalk also understands that Summerville remains on Chelsea’s radar, while confirming talks have also been held with ambitious French side, Rennes.
With at least one of the pair expected to leave, Leeds have made an approach to the Eagles over a deal for Rak-Sakyi.
The London-born right winger spent the 2021/22 season on loan with Charlton in League One, where he scored 15 times across 49 appearances. And while highly-rated by Palace, they are understood to be open to another season’s loan for the 21-year-old star.
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As a result, Leeds have approached Palace to find out the terms around a prospective transfer. And while Oliver Glasner could yet look to involve the player next season, the Eagles are also open to a possible loan exit.
At this stage much will depend on their chances of adding to their attack, with a move being planned for former Watford man, and one-time Leeds target Ismaila Sarr. He currently plays at Marseille, but is being tipped to return to the Premier League with Palace leading the hunt.
And if they can land the Senegalese forward, Palace are ready to let Rak-Sakyi move on once again.
Leeds, however, are not the only side showing an interest, with Premier League new boys Southampton also on his trail, though their interest seemingly stems in a permanent deal only, meaning if the Eagles prefer a loan, it is Leeds who could well be best placed to sign the 21-year-old.
