How Leeds could repeat their Noah Okafor masterclass for just £15m

Leeds United are catching the eye with all of its early summer transfer window activity.

Already, they have picked up a phenomenal bargain in welcoming Harry Wilson in through the door on a free transfer, after he bagged ten Premier League goals last season for Fulham.

Alongside the Welsh wizard joining Daniel Farke‘s ranks, they have pushed the boat out to land Tarik Muharemović for £34.1m, after he impressed last season in his own right for Sassuolo.

Leeds make approach to sign £15m gem

Leeds know shopping in the Italian market can work wonders, with Jaka Bijol, who much like Muharemovic, is another brute of a centre-half, arriving just last summer from Serie A.

There was also the success story of Noah Okafor, who became very dependable towards the latter stages of the 2025/26 campaign with vital goals and another Okafor-style gem could potentially arrive shortly.

With both those purchases going down as risks that have paid off, Leeds could delve back into Serie A to land Yunus Musah this summer, according to reports.

Indeed, reports from Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport note that Leeds have opened talks with Okafor’s ex-employers to try and land the 23-year-old.

Musah, who was out on loan at Atalanta last campaign, is said to favour a move away from the Rossoneri, but at the time of writing, the West Yorkshire side haven’t put forward an offer.

Milan – who are now managed by ex-Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim – could be willing to let the USA international leave on loan, with a £15m purchase option tied into the deal.

How Musah could be another Okafor

Okafor cost just a little bit more at the £18m mark and proved to be a gem of a buy. Now, Musah could well follow in the winger’s footsteps.

If a move does accelerate into motion, the hope would be that the midfielder can go on to be an inspired bit of business like the Switzerland international, with Musah suffering from up and down fortunes in Italy, much like the 26-year-old before Elland Road beckoned.

It’s strange to think about now as Okafor helped himself to three vital goals in April to give Leeds breathing distance from the drop, but he was far from convincing in front of goal at the San Siro for large parts of his Milan career.

He only scored one goal across the entirety of the 2024/25 Serie A campaign, before moving on, yet the gamble Leeds took forking out £18m for such a hit-and-miss player worked out in the end.

He stood out as a player who could fit into Farke’s system in multiple different positions as well, as the number 19 played as a left winger, a striker, and as a number ten, dependant on what the German selected.

Daniel James openly praised his fellow Leeds colleague for being “so versatile” during the early stages of last season, with the Swiss international only improving the more time went on.

Musah is even more versatile than his old teammate, with his well-travelled playing days featuring for Valencia, alongside Milan and Atalanta, seeing him line up as a central midfielder, down the wings, and even as a full-back.

Bringing in another presence who is so adaptable could be a masterstroke, with how tiring the 38-game season the Premier League can be, as another gem that is purchased from Serie A is potentially unearthed.

His former San Siro boss Stefano Pioli would even praise the 23-year-old for how easily malleable he can be, noting that he is a “complete player.”

He has fallen down the Milan pecking order since Pioli’s days in charge, but that shouldn’t put Leeds off purchasing him, as they discovered a diamond in the rough in Okafor.

With 19 Champions League appearances under his belt, he shouldn’t be fazed by adjusting to the demands of the English top-flight, as Musah hopefully slots in comfortably, just like the £18m attacker.

Additionally, he has 13 goals and 12 assists next to his name on his career CV, too, so he wouldn’t be scared by the prospect of chipping in with a goal or an assist, either, as another unknown entity from Italy possibly becomes a fan favourite, to mirror Okafor’s sudden rise even more.