Leeds Transfer Roundup: Kalimuendo, Lavia linked as Traore rumours resurface

As the 2021/22 season officially draws to a close and Leeds United’s fixtures for the upcoming Premier League campaign are revealed, rumours linking new players to Jesse Marsch’s side are already beginning to intensify.

Deals for RB Salzburg’s Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen - who played under Marsch with the Austrian champions - were confirmed before the transfer window opened at the start of June, and the Whites are showing no intention of stopping there, with Marc Roca reportedly awaiting an agreement between Leeds and his current side Bayern Munich ahead of a £12m switch.

With the chances of Kalvin Phillips departing for league holders Manchester City refusing to lessen and Raphinha still likely to leave despite Barcelona’s financial woes, United look to be aiming to strengthen their depth ahead of their third successive top flight season, resulting in new names emerging and old names resurfacing in transfer gossip columns.

Arnaud Kalimuendo

Photo by FRANCOIS NASCIMBENI/AFP via Getty Images

The Independent reports that Leeds have made an offer of around £17m to Paris Saint Germain for their 20-year-old forward Kalimuendo.

A representative of France’s U21 side, he has spent the last two seasons on loan at fellow Ligue 1 outfit Lens, where he scored 21 goals in 65 games across all competitions.

HITC adds with claims that Kalimuendo, who has been with PSG since 2012, has turned down a move to Premier League newcomers Nottingham Forest, while Newcastle United and Leicester City also possess an interest in the striker.

Crippled by repeated injuries to Patrick Bamford last season, Leeds would do well to provide their starting striker with increased backup and competition.

Romeo Lavia

Photo by Matt McNulty - Manchester City/Manchester City FC via Getty Images

Manchester City have become firm frontrunners to sign Leeds star Kalvin Phillips this summer, but should the Whites find a big-money bid too seducing to reject, they could find solace in engineering a move for Citizens’ starlet Lavia in the process.

The Athletic says that Leeds are interested in signing the 18-year-old holding midfielder, who is highly rated at the Etihad and is thought to have the potential to one day play in the first team.

Subsequently Pep Guardiola’s side are reluctant to let him go, but he could be part of a deal that sees England international Phillips move in the other direction.

Premier League rivals Southampton also have a vested interest in the Belgian U21 international, according to the report.

Adama Traore

Photo by Jack Thomas - WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images

This is not the first time Traore has been linked with a move to Elland Road; previous rumours regarding the 26-year-old didn’t go down well with supporters, but TEAMtalk says that director of football Victor Orta is ready to make his second attempt to sign the player.

After failing to persuade Barcelona to make his six-month loan deal permanent this summer, Traore is returning to the Molineux, but doesn’t intend on staying for long; the chances of him signing a new deal are low and it is thought he has been searching for an exit for the last year now.

Traore, who was brought to Middlesbrough by Orta in 2016, is reportedly available for a cut-price fee of £20m, resulting in apparent interest from Leeds as well as Tottenham Hotspur. When rumours last surfaced linking the Barcelona academy product with Leeds, the rumoured fee was around double that number.

With Raphinha’s time at Elland Road almost up, Traore could be Leeds’ solution to replacing the Brazilian star, although their differing goalscoring records in the Premier League (Traore’s eight in 160 and Raphinha’s 17 in 65) are an indication that it would be far from a like-for-like swap.

What do you make of these rumours? Which of these players would you most like to see Leeds sign this summer? Vote in the poll below (viewable in browser) and let us know in the comments and on Twitter.