Leeds United closing in on blockbuster 8-figure transfer as fresh development emerges | OneFootball

The Whites look set to land an experienced international defender as their first summer signing

Slovenia international centre-back Jaka Bijol has given the green light for a transfer to Leeds United to be confirmed.

The Championship title-winners are yet to strike in the summer transfer window as they prepare to return to the Premier League, but talks have been going on behind the scenes in regards to multiple targets of Daniel Farke's.

Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra had been linked, with a £22 million bid submitted for the Senegal international, but after his goalscoring performance for his nation against England this past week, there is plenty of interest elsewhere, with Liam Rosenior's side set to hold firm.

The same can't be said though for another transfer target of Leeds, who looks set to arrive in West Yorkshire in the near future.

Jaka Bijol closes in on Leeds United transfer

And the first one through the door looks likely to be Bijol, with LeedsLive reporting that the 26-year-old has agreed to a move to Elland Road this summer, and that an official agreement for the 63-cap international to move from Italian outfit Udinese is "imminent".

United are expected to agree a fee in the region of £17 million for the services of the centre-back, as per local Leeds reports, in what would be an eye-catching addition to a defensive unit that already includes Pascal Struijk, Jaka Bijol and Ethan Ampadu.

The 6ft 3in centre-half started his professional journey off at Rudar Velenje in Slovenia, before making the move to a bigger European league in 2018 at the age of just 19 when signing for Russian giants CSKA Moscow.

Four years later, Bijol moved to Italy with Udinese, and he has been mostly a regular starter for them since his arrival three years ago, even captaining the side in the latter stages of the 2024-25 season, where he appeared 34 times in the Serie A.

Jaka Bijol arriving at Leeds United would be a positive start to 49ers Enterprises' first Premier League transfer window

Having taken two years to return to the Premier League when it only looked like at one point they'd only need one, Leeds need to make up for lost time.

Given the size of the club and the money they can not only bring in, but also have through owners 49ers Enterprises, the Whites are always going to be an attractive club to join, and the size of some of the transfer bids going in already are somewhat of a statement of intent.

The ownership have kept the faith with Farke despite speculation at the end of 2024-25 that he may lose his job, but the German needs to be backed with solid signigns - Bijol would certainly fit into that category.

He had an impressive EURO 2024 last year with Slovenia and was solid again in Serie A for Udinese, so if Leeds can close out this deal like they intend to, then there will be little in the way of complaints.