How global transfer ban impacts Leeds United's ability to sign FC Köln midfielder Dejan Ljubicic this summer
Leeds United saw a bid reported to be worth around 4 million Euros for Austrian midfielder Dejan Ljubicic turned down by German club 1.FC Köln earlier this summer, although it was anticipated the Whites could return with an improved offer.
Reports in recent days from German sports outlet Bild suggest Köln will hold out for a 'mega' offer and are keen to keep the 26-year-old who was relegated from the Bundesliga last season. A reason for this stance is perhaps due to the transfer limitations imposed upon the German club, which stipulate they are unable to register new players during this summer window.
A Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling back in December supported FIFA's decision to ban Köln from signing new players for two transfer windows after the club were found to have induced a breach of contract in the signing of teenage forward Jaka Cuber Potocnik from Slovenian side Olimpija Ljubljana in January 2022.
Olimpija alleged Potocnik's mother was coaxed into terminating his deal with the club, which led to the youngster signing terms with Köln one day after notice was served of the intention to end his deal, due to broken promises over first-team integration.
Potocnik was banned for four months and Köln also ordered to pay Ljubljana €51,750 compensation in addition to training costs.
A report in The Athletic at the time of Köln's initial sanction, which was suspended last summer as the case was taken to CAS, read: "FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players allows players and clubs to terminate a contract if there is 'just cause', defined as a sufficiently serious breach or substantial violation of the employment contract by the other party."
Potocnik's reasoning for contract termination with Olimpija was that the club had failed to promote the teen to the first team or allow him to leave abroad if an offer of €100,000 were to arrive. FIFA did not deem this a 'just cause' for termination.
Köln's relegation from Germany's top flight could hardly have occurred at a worse time in relation to their transfer ban, which remains this summer.
Should Ljubicic be sold to Leeds, for example, the club could not replace the Austrian with a new signing and would instead be forced to promote from within or extend any current loan spells with players and make those deals permanent.
For that reason, the desire to retain Ljubicic is clear given they are not permitted to sign any players on free transfers, either.
Köln's ban expires at the end of the summer transfer period but waiting until the January window to draft in reinforcements has the potential to detrimentally affect their bid to return to the Bundesliga at the first time of asking.
Leeds' interest in Ljubicic remains, although other midfield targets are being considered as alternates. Should Köln's demands come down between now and the end of the summer window, it is possible Leeds return with another bid, potentially in excess of the €4 million initially offered.
Köln's head of football Thomas Kessler remains bullish of retaining the midfielder, too, telling KSTA.de: "I’m not afraid that Dejo will leave the club."
“We have even built an Austrian coaching team for him so that he will lack nothing here, so I firmly believe that he will remain our player.”
Ljubicic picked up an assist in Köln's 2. Bundesliga opener this season, a 2-1 defeat by Hamburger SV.