Leeds United are reportedly close to reaching an agreement to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Arnaud Kalimuendo in a €25 million deal.
According to 90 min, Premier League club Leeds United are inching closer to securing the services of Paris Saint-Germain forward Arnaud Kalimuendo in a €25 million deal.
The 20-year-old came through the ranks at PSG and has so far won four caps for their senior side. Kalimuendo also spent two seasons on loan at fellow Ligue 1 club RC Lens, making 65 appearances in the process, scoring 21 goals and assisting six more.
Kalimuendo’s time at Estadio Bollaert-Delelis has proven instrumental in his development and has also given the PSG forward a taste of what regular football at the senior level looks like. More so, it has also caught the attention of Leeds United, who are in the market for a striker.
The Whites endured a difficult 2021/22 campaign that saw them stave off relegation by the skin of their teeth. More so, Leeds have already lost Kalvin Phillips this summer, while Raphinha’s move to Barcelona is also done. Losing two of his top players will not make Jesse Marsch’s job easier as he strives to improve upon last season’s 17th-placed finish in the Premier League.
A major reason for Leeds’s struggles last season was the lack of bite up front. They scored a mere 42 goals in the Premier League last season, a tally that is better than just four other teams in the top flight, three of whom got relegated. Brazilian winger Raphinha was their most dynamic attacker last season, and his departure will leave a considerable void upfront.
Kalimuendo appears to be the mark on Leeds’s radar as they look to add firepower to their roster. The 20-year-old is the club’s priority target, and a bid of €25 million should land them their man. PSG had initially rejected a bid of €20 million for the player.
A move to Elland Road is a step down for Kalimuendo but could be just what he needs at the moment. The chances of him breaking into a PSG attack that already consists of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and Lionel Messi is far-fetched. More so the arrival of Hugo Ekitike will make Kalimuendo’s pathway into the first team at PSG all the harder.
The youngster has a better shot at securing regular playtime at Elland Road and could become an integral cog in Marsch’s Leeds rebuild. Serie A club Sassuolo are also interested in the Frenchman, and it remains to be seen if they will make a late move to pip Leeds to the chequered flag.