Leeds United transfer blow as Premier League rivals hold talks for £40m target amid 'wantaway' claim
A fresh report surrounding Leeds United transfer target Jorgen Strand Larsen has emerged.
Leeds United have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Jorgen Strand Larsen amid reports Crystal Palace have entered talks to sign the Wolves striker.
Strand Larsen emerged as a potential January target for Leeds last week, with the YEP reporting that enquiries have been made regarding the Norwegian No.9. Elland Road chiefs acknowledge a deal would be difficult to do, however, given the financial demands and expected level of competition.
Palace were seen as potential transfer rivals straight away, with Nottingham Forest also thought to be interested alongside much of the Premier League’s bottom-half. And Selhurst Park chiefs look to have stepped up their interest in a blow to Leeds’ chances of a massive January signing.
TalkSPORT reports that Palace have now opened talks with Wolves over Strand Larsen, with uncertainty surrounding their own ‘wantaway’ striker. French forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, who has scored eight Premier League goals this season, has asked to leave Selhurst Park in January amid interest from Aston Villa, Juventus and AC Milan.
Strand Larsen is reportedly seen as a ‘ready made’ replacement for Mateta, having proven his Premier League goalscoring ability with 14 strikes in 35 appearances last season. He’s only scored once this campaign but is part of a woeful Wolves outfit who look destined for relegation.
Following that 14-goal haul in 2024/25, Strand Larsen was attracting bids from Newcastle United worth up to £60m but amid a drop in form and Wolves’ desperate Premier League position, their price has dropped. TalkSPORT claim Molineux chiefs now want around £40m, which is still a significant amount of money in the mid-season window.
Leeds United Jorgen Strand Larsen transfer latest with financial hurdle
That price-tag is a potential issue for Leeds, who according to managing director Robbie Evans are at the limit of their three-year permitted losses, as per Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR). Evans explained back in September that any further spending would need to be offset, either through sales or another financial lever, before June 30.
“Unequivocally, we are maxing PSR out this season, this summer,” he told the YEP. “We spent everything we could. If we had gone onto other targets yesterday [deadline day] or onto higher price players back in July, the consequences would have been seen in the current roster, in terms of players we either could not add beyond the guys that got brought in.
“So the players that came in in August wouldn't have come had those deals been made in July - or you'd see more key players from last year's promotion side having to go. And so for us, there were only a handful of players that were worth even considering making those kinds of sales. And when those top players didn't materialise, we held on to our key players instead.”
There is known January interest in Joel Piroe, who is yet to score this season and hasn't started a Premier League game since Arsenal in August, but the YEP understands neither the player nor Leeds are pushing for an exit. As with everything, that could change if an offer arrives that deserves consideration.