Leeds preparing club-record bid to sign £43m star

Leeds United hit the jackpot with the signing of Noah Okafor when they dipped into the market last summer to bolster their squad for the Premier League.

The Whites needed to add more quality to the group after winning the Championship title, to bridge the gap between the two divisions, and signed the Switzerland international from AC Milan for a fee of £18m.

Bringing the 26-year-old star to Elland Road was a show of ambition by the club, as he arrived as a four-time title winner with Salzburg and a Serie A winner with Napoli.

The Swiss star was a well-known talent in Europe because he had played for Salzburg, AC Milan, and Napoli in the years building up to his move to England, which is why they had to pay a significant transfer fee to sign him.

A return of eight goals and three assists in all competitions for the left-sided attacker shows that he hit the ground running in his first season in the Premier League.

Leeds preparing club-record bid to sign new star

The Whites got what they paid for because they showed ambition to sign a proven European talent and that meant that signing him was not as risky as, for example, bringing a player up from the Championship or one of the smaller leagues in Europe.

Now, the board are reportedly aiming to sign a star for Daniel Farke who could arrive at Elland Road as their next version of the Switzerland international.

According to Wednesday’s edition of A Bola, via Sport Witness, Leeds United are preparing an offer to sign Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande in the summer transfer window.

It was reported earlier this week that the Whites were eyeing a deal to bring the Ivorian star to Elland Road and wanted to wrap up a move quickly, but it was unclear about how much they were willing to pay for him.

Now, this fresh update from A Bola states that the club want to make their ‘biggest offer ever made for a player’ by submitting a bid worth up to £43m including add-ons and bonuses, which would trump the £35.5m that they paid Hoffenheim for Georginio Rutter in 2023.

However, the report adds that Chelsea, Arsenal, AFC Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Newcastle United are also keen on the defender and that strong performances at the World Cup could result in Sporting demanding even more than £43m for him.

Why Diomande could be an Okafor repeat for Leeds

The Whites struck gold by signing a proven European talent in Okafor, as he arrived at the club with plenty of experience in big leagues and in big competitions, so the pressure of playing in the Premier League did not seem to faze him.

Okafor was able to hit the ground running without many issues because of his experience, particularly in Italy, and he proved to be an excellent piece of business for Farke’s side.

Now, Diomande could follow in his footsteps because he is another star who would join the club as a known talent in Europe, thanks to his successful time with Portuguese giants Sporting, where he has won two league titles in the past three seasons.

The Ivorian star, who also won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024, may not feel the pressure of playing for Leeds in the Premier League, because he is used to playing Champions League football and competing for big trophies at club and international level.

Diomande could hit the ground running in the same way that Okafor did because of his experience in Europe, as long as he can adapt to the physicality of English football.

The 22-year-old star, who was described as “immense” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, showed his quality on and off the ball in the Champions League for Sporting this season.

Diomande was dominant defensively, winning the majority of his duels on the ground and in the air, whilst very rarely giving the ball away with his passes.

The Ivorian colossus could, therefore, be a fantastic signing for Leeds and adapt as seamlessly as Okafor did due to his experience and proven quality in major European competitions.