Gabriel Sara to Leeds United update from Pete O’Rourke
Leeds United could be set to miss out on a deal for Galatasaray midfielder Gabriel Sara amid questions about their January spending power.
Daniel Farke‘s side have been long-term admirers of the 26-year-old since his time at Norwich City, and his potential availability has seen them linked with a renewed bid.
However, as I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Galatasaray are likely to demand around £17.5million to let Sara leave in January and Leeds are unlikely to spend such a significant fee on one player.
This comes after Football Insider revealed on 26 October that Leeds could be restricted by PSR concerns in January after their big-spending summer window.
Farke’s side spent over £100million upon their promotion to the Premier League, and are now expected to be cautious about the potential of overspending.
Why Leeds could miss out on signing Gabriel Sara
Before his move to Galatasaray, Sara attracted interest from West Ham, as well as Atletico Madrid and RB Leipzig and he remained very highly rated.
So far this season, he has made 19 appearances for the Turkish giants, but could be allowed to leave the club should the right offer arrive in the January window.
While he remains an option on Leeds’ radar, they are currently considered unlikely to pursue his signature in January and instead will assess other options.
Speaking on the Inside Track podcast, I explained: “I’m sure as Leeds are long-term admirers of him, they’ve continued to keep tabs on the situation after moving to Galatasaray.
“He’s been in and out of the team there and the arrival of Ilkay Gundogan has pushed him down the pecking order at the Turkish champions.
“Leeds, I’m not sure how much money they will have to spend in the January window after they spent quite a bit of money in the summer on new arrivals.
“If Gabriel Sara was to become available in January, there are a number of clubs who will be looking at him because he’s a talented player.
“But if Galatasaray were willing to let him go, they’d be demanding around £17.5million, and I’m not sure Leeds would be willing to meet those demands.”
Daniel Farke makes new Leeds transfer plan
Football Insider previously revealed that Farke is aiming to strengthen his Leeds squad in the January transfer window to improve their odds of survival.
New attacking players are believed to be top of the manager’s shortlist as things stand, although their previous desire to sign a new striker has faded.
This comes after Football Insider revealed on 5 December that Leeds are less likely to sign a striker after Farke’s decision to tweak his formation to a 3-5-2.
Football Insider revealed on 7 September that Leeds are concerned about their attacking options, and could look to bolster their squad in January.
However, they are now considered more likely to target wide options than an out-and-out centre-forward given the success of their recent tactical tweak.
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