The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Friday 18th September)

Good Morning. It's Friday 18th September, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road


Double delight in Leeds pursuit of De Paul

Italian Sky Sports Journalist Fabrizio Romano has reported that Rodrigo De Paul has rejected a contract offer from Zenit St Petersburg because wants to play for Leeds.

Speaking via the Here We Go podcast Romano disclosed that Zenit offered De Paul, 26, an “important bid” but it has been rejected by the Argentina international because he has his heart set on playing in the Premier League with Leeds.

Furthermore, Udine-based local newspaper Messaggero Veneto say ‘negotiations remains hot’ with Leeds United. More importantly they also claim that an offer of €30m (27.4m) plus bonuses ‘should do it’ for Leeds.

Unconfirmed reports have already suggested that Leeds have already bid €30m. Could it be that both sides of the table are now just squabbling over a sell on fee?

You have to praise Messrs Orta and Radrizzani business approach, if this deal does works out. Udinese wanted €40m, even when Zenit St Petersburg came in with a €35m offer for the Argentine, Leeds stood their ground. Now it seems (hopefully) that they can save a significant amount of money!

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Zagreb getting KO'd from the Champions league could have positive repercussions for Leeds

Dinamo Zagreb went crashing out of the third qualifying round of the Champions League last night to Hungarian outfit Ferencvaros (try saying that when you're drunk)!

What relevance that that have for us?

Leeds have been targeting Zagreb's highly rated centre back Josko Gvardiol for most of the Summer. German outfit Leipzig tried to hijack the deal with a €15m bid and would loan the teenager back to Zagreb for the rest of the season, but a far superior offer on the table from the Whites, believed to be €22m has certainly got the Croatian Champions interest.

Over the last fortnight Gvardiol has been claiming that he wouldn't leave his club until after they had played Ferencvaros in the Champions League. This game took place yesterday, and Zagreb lost. Surely this means that there are no reasons for Gvardiol to stay?

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Morning All,

My only thoughts are

 

In the words of Baby Yoda: This is the way

 

If we can get De Paul and Gvardiol with our remaining budget that will be money well spent and great business from Radz and Orta. If they do it they'd have done the correct thing by binding their time because if they just paid the 40 million euros we'd not have enough funds left for another player. If these both come off we can ship Douglas out and have Dallas as first choice LB with Gvardiol back up for LB/CB and Struijk a CB/DM cover. Then a winger on loan and we'll be sorted.

 

Morning all. Did anyone watch Take Us Home Season 2 yet? Suffice to say tears of joy were shed!

 

Morning all

The Zenit bid for De Paul is old news as I mentioned last week, Pozzo had almost agreed a £37.5m bid which included add-on's. However De Paul said he doesn't want to take his family to Russia, even though it would make him a wealthy man. He preferred to stay in Italy as long as it was a club playing in the Champions League or if not go to the Premier League. Since this week we know he wants to come to Leeds and has agreed a 5 year deal paying him £70k per week in principle. Its now all down to Pozzo and Radz and how long Bielsa is willing to wait. I think things will have started properly after Pablos performance and the way Roberts performed against Hull. I think the starting gun has been fired and it will either be done next week or we will have someone else.

The big Croat will either be a Leeds player in the next few days or I expect the Callum Chambers thing to be resurrected. Struijk can do a job at CB or DM but we need cover at LB as Leif Davies hasn't progressed as we hoped and it seems Barry Douglas is now out in the cold. Chambers gives us cover at RB, LB, CB, DM so multiple positions which Bielsa likes.

 

Watched first episode and yes brilliant and tissue needed. Going to watch the second episode later today even though still not watched episode 6 of the first series

 

Morning foolee,

Really don't think we need another winger, we're well covered in that area.

 

Morning! I agree but it seems that we were looking at players that could play at no.10 and as a winger, see Wilson and Kent. And we know how much Bielsa loves a winger. Also with how Alioski played the other night and not being sure if Poveda is ready I wouldn't mind seeing someone like Wilson being a loan option towards the end of the window but I'd be happy with the two we've already got and the two mentioned above for sure.

 

I just can't watch episode 6.

 

I watched after we got promoted. Took the sting out of it somewhat.

 

I refused to watch episode 6 as well. I knew what happened..

 

We've signed Crysencio Summerville from Feyenoord for £1.3m. Think that's it for us as far as wingers are concerned tbh.

 

Strange feelings about tomorrows game.

It's our first home game back in the PL and obviously we can't be there to enjoy the occasion, cheer on the team and have a bloody great day out. It's more than that though, somehow I just want to enjoy our matches without feeling we have to win every one. Play well, score great goals, witness absorbing end to end football like at Anfield last week, all of that but without the ' this is a must win match ' attitude that seems to be building amongst the support.

Obviously I would love to win every match and yes we need to garner enought points to stay in the division, but was hoping we'd get to enjoy the experience for the first part of the season at least before the pressure ramped up.

Guess I'm just saying let's all relax, chill out and savour these good times

 

Cowards!

Embrace the pain. It makes the elation of promotion even more enjoyable.

This goal is the most animated I have been in years purely out of relief after the pain of the previous season. The wife nearly hit the ceiling in the next room when it went in!

 

Brought a tear to my eye did that one, first time I 100% believed this is the season.

 

Really enjoyed episode 6.

It perfectly showed the emotions of all involved, which we can now thankfully compare with the jubilation from last season's success. Essential viewing if you can focus on things other than the fact we lost.

 

It's ok you saying that when you're on those Narcos reefer specials. But I know what you mean about trying to enjoy our time in the Premier. It's just that it's been so long getting there, that we need points to try and survive the first year. I remember Kevin Keegans Newcastle who were good to watch. But they could score 4 and let in 5. Anyway, got nowTV in for any matches on BT. Looking forward to the game, but a bit nervous as usual.

 

I had the same feeling when Howson scored against Carlisle to put us into the play off final against Donny. I wonder what's happened to Donny since.

 

The great man became POTUS and made the lefties cry