'Bid rejected' as competition emerges for Leeds United 'target' amid Ian Poveda claim

The Championship season has come to an end and Leeds United will be focusing their energy on the upcoming summer transfer window. The Whites know that nothing less than promotion at the second time of asking will do next season and they'll be doing their best to add to Daniel Farke's squad over the coming months.

Of course, Leeds will be forced to cut their cloth accordingly after missing out on promotion this time around and it seems the club may be in a weakened position when it comes to their ability to keep certain players. With the transfer window set to open on June 14, we provide a round up of some of the latest transfer news.

Fulham bid rejected

Fulham have reportedly seen a bid rejected for Stuttgart's Silas, who has been linked with a summer switch to Leeds United. According to Caught Offside, the Cottagers have started their bidding at €8m in an attempt to get their business done early.

Stuttgart, who have qualified for the Champions League, turned down the offer but the report claims Fulham are willing to return with a bid of €15m to try and force the German club's hand. Such a fee would surely rule out a switch to Elland Road, with Leeds unlikely to be able to compete with Premier League clubs for players.

It is said that Silas is content at Stuttgart and with the club preparing to compete in Europe, he won't be looking to leave, unless a tempting offer is put on the table. The DR Congo international has been with Stuttgart since 2019, joining the club while they were still in the German second tier. He has played a key role in their rise up the ranks, though, with 36 goals coming in 130 appearances for the club.

More Poveda interest emerge

Ian Poveda isn't short of suitors this summer as his time with Leeds United comes to an end. The 24-year-old will become a free agent when his contract at Elland Road expires later this month and having caught the eye while on loan at Sheffield Wednesday last season, he is attracting interest.

Wednesday have made no secret of their desire to land the Colombian permanently this summer, while Sunderland, Luton Town and Burnley were linked a few weeks ago. However, while a fresh report supports the Owls and the Hatters’ interest in the winger, West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City have now been linked.

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Darren Witcoop has that story, with Poveda looking likely to stay in the Championship next season. Poveda had four years with Leeds after joining the club from Manchester City in 2020.

He made 30 appearances for the club in that time but his last run out in white came against Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup back in January. That appearance came just a few days before his switch to Wednesday, where he made 10 outings under Danny Rohl.

His time at Hillsborough was blighted by injuries but that hasn't stopped the club from pushing to add him to their ranks once more this summer.