Big Leeds United Igor Paixão transfer boost as Marseille chances rated after £24m bid laughed off
Leeds United expect to face plenty of competition for their ambitious transfer target.
Leeds United have received a boost in their pursuit of Igor Paixão with reports from the Netherlands playing down Marseille’s chances of signing the Feyenoord winger.
Paixão has emerged as an ambitious summer target for Leeds with the YEP reporting on Wednesday they had spoken with the winger’s representatives. Club chiefs are believed to have presented the Elland Road project and how the 25-year-old would fit into Daniel Farke’s plans for Premier League survival, although there is no indication any kind of deal is close.
One potential issue for Leeds is the likelihood of top-level competition and known interest from Marseille highlights the difficulty Elland Road chiefs could face. The French outfit finished second in Ligue 1 last season and have therefore qualified for the Champions League, a major pull.
But even with their status as France’s second-best side and a seat at Europe’s top table secured, Voetbal International report the feeling at Feyenoord is that Marseille stand little chance of meeting Paixão’s price-tag. Roberto De Zerbi’s side are believed to have tabled an offer worth €28million (around £24m) but according to Voetbal Primeur, who relay the VI report, club chiefs at De Kuip ‘didn't take the terms of that deal seriously’.
They want more than €30m (£26m) for their Brazilian winger, although it’s unclear whether that amount needs to be supplemented with add-ons or is the total package. Marseille sporting director Mehdi Benatia is believed to have met with Paixão’s father in the hope of progressing a deal but according to VI, ‘no one [at Feyenoord] still believes Marseille has a real chance.’
Could Leeds United afford Igor Paixão?
Marseille would likely have to break their current £27.7m transfer record to do business with Feyenoord, which won’t be easy for the French side despite their Champions League qualification. The gap in finances between Ligue 1 and the Premier League, at least excluding Paris Saint-Germain, is huge - huge enough that a newly-promoted English team is more able to afford someone like Paixão than an established top-flight French outfit.
Of course, there is every chance Feyenoord’s stance on the situation was leaked in an attempt to coax Marseille into upping their offer, and the French side could well decide to break their transfer record for Paixão. But doing so will not be easy and an imminent loan-to-buy move for Juventus winger Timothy Weah will only tighten the purse-strings further.
There is also the added complication of Paixão’s recent injury, with the winger expected to miss several weeks which could easily bleed into the 2025/26 season, which for Leeds starts in one month. But the decision to meet with representatives this week suggests Elland Road chiefs are not put off.
Farke will want the bulk of his squad to be fit and firing long before Everton arrive at Elland Road on August 18 but for a player who raises the level so significantly, it’s possible concessions are made for the first few weeks. As an example, Raphinha joined Leeds after the 2020/21 campaign kicked off and did not start a game until November 22, but went on to have a huge impact with six goals and nine assists.