Fresh Jonathan Rowe rival named as Fabrizio Romano confirms 'new' Marseille bid for Leeds United target
Your round-up of the latest Leeds United stories as transfer demands heat up inside Elland Road.
Leeds United aren’t yet a week into their 2024/25 campaign and pressure is quickly mounting after two poor results and a transfer hammer-blow. Daniel Farke’s side salvaged a point against Portsmouth last weekend but were well beaten by Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, and a miserable night was compounded by news that Brighton had triggered Georginio Rutter’s £40million release clause. The 22-year-old looks set to leave Elland Road after a rollercoaster 18 months, having said his emotional goodbyes on Thursday.
Daniel Farke has already stressed the importance of arrivals and that importance will only intensify once Georginio’s move to Brighton is confirmed as expected, with a No.10 added to the shopping list and just two weeks to tick everything off. It’s set to be an incredibly busy couple of weeks in West Yorkshire and the YEP has rounded up some of the latest stories surrounding the club.
New Rowe suitor
Leeds look set to face more competition for the signature of Jonathan Rowe with reports in France naming AS Monaco as the latest to express interest. Foot Mercato claims Monaco ‘have their eye’ on the Norwich City winger, although they cannot sign him until at least one current non-EU player leaves the squad, due to Ligue 1 rules.
Rowe has been subject to interest from France already, with Marseille rivalling Leeds for the 21-year-old in recent weeks. His absence from last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Oxford United fuelled further speculation and Norwich manager Johannes Hoff Thorup has since confirmed he will miss Saturday’s visit of Blackburn Rovers to Carrow Road as well.
It remains to be seen whether Monaco will turn interest into any kind of offer, but the complication regarding non-EU players could make it difficult for them to put something together in time. The report adds that Norwich want a minimum of €15million (£12.8m) ‘fixed’, with add-ons likely to take it closer to £15m.
Second Rowe bid
Olympique de Marseille look to be continuing their pursuit of Rowe with reports of a second bid being submitted earlier this week. Fabrizio Romano claims the French club returned with a proposal that would have seen them take the winger on loan for the season, with an obligation to buy inserted into the deal for next summer.
Ligue 1 outfit OM look to be Leeds’ main rivals for Rowe, having expressed an interest earlier this summer before tabling a permanent bid - the value of which is thought to be below Norwich’s valuation. Reports earlier this week suggested they could back off amid the belief he was too expensive, but it seems Roberto De Zerbi’s side haven’t quite given up hope.
Romano adds that Rowe would be keen on the move to Marseille and both clubs remain in talks. Local outlet The Pink Un claim reports in France of an agreement getting closer are wide of the mark, with OM still some way short of Norwich’s price-tag.