Sources: Leeds close to signing £35,000-a-week PL player after overnight breakthrough
Transfers

Sources: Leeds close to signing £35,000-a-week PL player after overnight breakthrough

Wayne Veysey
Wayne Veysey

Founder & Managing Director AUTHORITY Former chief correspondent at Evening Standard, Goal and Press Association with nearly three decades in national, regional and digital news and sports journalism. Wayne directs the network’s news strategy and high-level operations. FOCUS Editorial direction for the 11-site network and newsroom management. THE BRIEF Wayne oversees the network’s editorial standards across the network. He provides the final sign-off on all headline scoops, ensuring content across all platforms meets the standards required for a high-velocity newsroom.

Published on: 

By Wayne Veysey

Leeds United are on the verge of signing Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah after a breakthrough in talks last night, Football Insider understands.

The Championship giants have leapfrogged rivals Bristol City in the race for the 20-year-old striker's loan signature following discussions yesterday that continued late into the evening.

A Leeds source has told Football Insider the club are hopeful they can finalise the capture of Nketiah before the transfer cut-off at 5pm after indications the player is willing to make the move to Elland Road.

Football Insider reported at the start of the week that United had made their move for the striker after Lee Johnson's team had spent weeks laying the groundwork for a season-long loan.

Bristol City had hoped to unveil Nketiah yesterday but Leeds recruitment chief Victor Orta has been working hard to convince Arsenal and the player his development would best be served by playing under Marcelo Bielsa for a season.

The striker, who earns £35,000-a-week at Arsenal, is regarded as one of the best young attacking players in England and one capable of being a Gunners regular in years to come.

He has already played 19 times for the Arsenal first team, scoring three goals, and has been capped by England at Under-21 level.

He has also scored at a rate of around a goal for the club's Under-23s, Under-18s and various age-group sides.

Leeds are in the market for a central striker after selling Kemar Roofe to Anderlecht at the start of the week for a fee of around £6million.

In other Leeds United news, Marcelo Bielsa is freezing out senior outfield international and wants him gone within the next 24 hours.

Leeds United
Eddie Nketiah
www.footballinsider247.com