Leeds United are reportedly keeping a keen eye on 24-year-old Cadiz centre-back Momo Mbaye.
According to Fichajes, Premier League side Leeds United are interested in securing the services of Momo Mbaye from La Liga club Cadiz.
The 24-year-old is enjoying a stellar season with the Cadiz B team, which is seeing several top clubs sit up and take notice of his exploits. Mbaye made his La Liga debut against Barcelona in September and has since made a total of three top-flight appearances for Cadiz.
A no-nonsense defender with strong physicality and ability on the ball to boot, Mbaye has all the ingredients needed to thrive in the Premier League. At 24, he is not very young by any standards and appears to be a late bloomer who has burst onto the stage.
His contract at the Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla expires in 2024, putting Cadiz in a rather tricky position regarding negotiations. The Spanish minnows are currently working on extending Mbaye’s contract. While their chances of keeping him long-term are remote if he continues to play this way, signing him on will, at the very least, preserve his transfer value.
Leeds, one of the interested parties, could do with a player of Mbaye’s abilities. Jesse Marsch’s side are going through a rebuild but have failed to keep up their good start to the season. A string of defeats has seen them drop down the standings, and strengthening the rearguard is something that needs to be looked at, despite the recent win over Liverpool.
The quartet of Pascal Struijk, Robin Koch, Diego Llorente and Liam Cooper are not the most formidable. Adding Mbaye to the roster will bring not just that physically dominant presence to the rearguard but also the ball-playing ability that could see him fit right into Jesse Marsch’s style of play.
The former Senegalese Under-20 star certainly has the potential to explode onto the scene in a big way, but his talents are far from refined. At 24, one could argue that there are better players out there who could prove value for money.
Should he continue to impress in La Liga, Mbaye’s stock will continue to rise, and Cadiz could command a handsome amount for his signature. Moving fast could help Leeds land him for a potentially lower fee. While it will be a risky signing, the Yorkshire outfit could be onto something if they can squeeze the best out of him.
