Leeds United turn attention to Ligue 1 champion that spent last term sidelined with an ACL injury

Leeds United had such a bright start to the week. The team had reached an agreement to sign Gabriel Gudmundsson, a left-back, and Sam Byram to a new term that would last until 2026.

Leeds then acknowledged that they had presented plans to Leeds City Council to expand the capacity of Elland Road from 38,000 to 53,000. Sean Longstaff’s signing would have completed an almost ideal week.

Leeds have made a third, £12 million offer for Longstaff. However, later in the week, it was reported that Newcastle had actually turned down the offer, meaning Leeds would have to start over in order to sign the midfield player.

The Newcastle board anticipates that Longstaff may still depart, but Eddie Howe wants to retain him for four reasons, including his “tactical understanding” and “work rate.” Instead, Leeds is looking to add a new player.

Stuart Franklin’s image from UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

Leeds wants to sign the Ligue 1 champion, who is now playing in Greece.

Leeds is interested in acquiring Yusuf Yazici, an attacking midfielder, according to RMCSport. At the moment, the 28-year-old, who can play in 10 offensive positions, out wide, or up top, is with Olympiacos.

Yazici, a 45-time Turkey international, finished as the league’s top scorer in 2020–21 and helped Lille win Ligue 1. He left Lille last summer and signed a free transfer to Olympiacos in September.

According to the article, Yazici may now depart Olympiacos after just one season, with a return to one of Europe’s top five clubs imminent. According to reports, Leeds and an unidentified French team are interested in signing Yazici.