Credit: Imago, Getty Images

Evan Lloyd

Sat 9 May 2026 7:30, UK

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Lois Openda is increasingly likely to leave Juventus this summer after a dismal first season in Italy with Leeds United among the teams interested.

The Serie A giants agreed to sign the 26-year-old on loan with a £40million obligation to buy from RB Leipzig last summer.

The obligation has already been automatically triggered despite Openda’s underwhelming return of just two goals in 37 appearances across all competitions this season.

Luciano Spalletti, who replaced Igor Tudor in October and has now been confirmed as the permanent manager, has effectively frozen the forward out, handing him just four minutes of action in the last eight Serie A fixtures.

Leeds transfer chiefs are reportedly considering a move for the Belgium international, who will be available on loan this summer.

Juventus prepare to grant Lois Openda exit

Football Insider exclusively revealed last month that Leeds are keen to sign Openda in a loan-to-buy deal this summer.

The Whites are keen to add competition to their front-line, with the 26-year-old capable of appearing on the wing or through the middle.

The forward signed for RB Leipzig in 2023 in a big-money move from RC Lens, after he had netted 21 goals in Ligue 1.

Openda’s goal-scoring exploits continued in the Bundesliga, with the Belgian bagging 28 across all competitions in his first season and 13 in his second.

Few predicted the fall-off that the 26-year-old has experienced in Serie A, but Juventus are not willing to give him the chance of another season.

According to Tutto Mercato Web, Openda will be sold this summer, but the feeling at Juventus is that a loan exit is the best that the Italian outfit can hope for.

Openda credited Thierry Henry with his development

Openda was an extremely dangerous forward in the Bundesliga, and the striker could well rediscover that form in the Premier League.

At least that is what the likes of Leeds are hoping, as they assess the risks behind a loan move for the forward.

Openda made his debut for Belgium in 2022, scoring against Poland in the Nations League. Speaking in 2024, he described how Roberto Martinez’s assistant at the time and Arsenal legend, Thierry Henry, guided him to the moment.

“Before my first international match against Poland, Thierry Henry showed me a few tricks and told me how I should play with Hazard on the pitch,” he said.

“Five minutes later I had scored my first goal. It was incredible. My mother, my brother and everyone else were incredibly happy.”

Leeds will hope that Openda has remembered some of those tricks to replicate some of Henry’s finest moments in the Premier League.