Leeds United transfer setback revealed after remarkable late twist | OneFootball

Nadiem Amiri has rejected a move to Leeds United, after the Championship had agreed a deal for the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder.

Nadiem Amiri turns down Leeds United

Daniel Farke is looking to strengthen his squad ahead of the deadline, and the Whites had agreed a fee in the region of £6m for Amiri.

Given his pedigree, with the midfielder having made over 200 appearances in the Bundesliga, and represented Germany, it’s fair to say this was seen as a real coup for the Yorkshire outfit, particularly as Amiri had been on the radar of Marseille earlier this summer.

And, reports emerged in the week stating that Amiri was ready to fly to England to finalise the move, and that he would sign a four-year contract at Elland Road.

Yet, there are now contrasting claims, with BILD revealing, as quoted by Get German Football News, that Amiri has turned down Leeds.

What does this mean for Leeds?

Obviously, at this stage of the window it’s a real blow for Farke and the recruitment team. It was thought that the manager had been hugely involved in convincing Amiri to make the move, and there’s no denying it would have been a great deal for the club.

So, it’s a setback, as bringing in an attack-minded midfielder was one of the priorities for Farke ahead of the deadline.

Given his energy off the ball, as well as his quality on the ball, Amiri would have been the perfect fit for the club, and he could easily have been a standout performer at this level.

Yet, in the bigger picture, it’s better that Leeds haven’t brought in a player that may not have been totally committed. Farke has constantly stressed the need for players to want to pull on the white shirt, and he is looking to build a culture at Leeds that involves everyone buying in.

This does mean that Leeds will be in the market for an attacking midfielder though, and they only have a week to get the right player in.

You would hope that the recruitment team has a list of options, but it won’t be straightforward to get the right man given the short turnaround.

It promises to be a hectic final week of the window for Leeds, as there are so many potential deals in the pipeline, both in terms of incomings and departures.

Bringing in Joel Piroe was an outstanding bit of business, but it’s clear that more work needs to be done, with the early results of the campaign showing that the squad is not ready to compete with the best in the league.

A move for Joseph Paintsil appears to be at an advanced stage, but after how this deal has gone, and a previous one for Max Aarons, it’s fair to say that Leeds fans won’t get carried away until he is signed and sealed.

Elsewhere, a full-back could be on the radar for Farke, and the club are also looking to sign Glen Kamara from Rangers, with Michael Beale admitting that he expects the Finland international to leave Ibrox.

Of course, there will be more talk about players leaving as well, so it will be interesting to see how the squad looks come September 1.