Top-flight trio circling for available Leeds 27-year-old – report
By Derek Smithson
Three Serie A clubs are interested in signing Leeds defender Giuseppe Bellusci, according to a report.
The Yorkshire Evening Post claim that the Whites are allowing the 27-year-old to leave Elland Road in the summer following on from his loan spell at Italian club Empoli last season
It is understood they have granted him permission to stay in Italy to try finalise a deal to a new club, while most of the squad have now linked up with manager Thomas Christiansen for pre-season training.
The report details that Empoli are not in the running for the centre-back’s signature following their relegation from Serie A, but Italian top-flight trio Bologna, Cagliari and Benevento are all keen.
Bellusci does not feature in Leeds’ first-team plans next season and would prefer a move back to his homeland Italy.
The no-nonsense defender looks set to end his connection with the Yorkshire club and was unpopular with supporters.
He is renowned for his bad discipline and picked up 26 yellow cards in 61 appearances for the Championship outfit.
Bellusci continued his rash approach last season during his loan spell at Empoli and picked up 15 bookings in just 33 appearances.
Football Insider verdict:
Leeds certainly need to bring in a top-class defender in the summer following the exit of Swansea loanee Kyle Bartley. Pontus Jansson should remain at the heart of the defence under Thomas Christiansen, but he will need a reliable centre-back partner alongside him to help a promotion push. Bellusci is already on the books at Elland Road and could come straight into the Whites side, but he has proved that he is too much of a liability. He is pursuing a move back to Italy and it is in the best interests of both parties for him to complete a move away. That leaves Leeds pursuing a new defender and they should be aiming to wrap up a deal in the near future.
In other Leeds transfer news, they are battling to sign a £2million-rated International defender.
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