Leeds United ‘Pushing Hard To Enter The Race’ For Centre-back | OneFootball

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Leeds United ‘are pushing hard to enter the race’ to sign departing Union Berlin defender Diogo Leite.

The Whites were alive to the free agent market last summer when they had success in landing Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Nmecha scored Leeds’ first goal of the Premier League season and Calvert-Lewin their last, with the pair proving to be shrewd signings for the Whites.

Leite is out of contract at Union Berlin this summer and is set to move as a free agent, something which has alerted a host of clubs, including Everton and sides from Saudi Arabia.

Now there is further interest in the Portuguese and it comes from Everton’s Premier League rivals and a side in Turkey.

According to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, Besiktas and Leeds ‘are pushing hard to enter the race’ for the defender’s signature.

Leite looks set to have a whole host of options on the table when it comes to his next club, helped by his status as a free agent which removes the need for a big transfer fee.

While moving to England may tempt the Portuguese, he could find his most lucrative offer comes from Saudi Arabia.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke switched to playing with three centre-backs last season and will want sufficient depth in the position for next season.

Leite landing on a free transfer would free up funds to use in other areas as Leeds get to grips with the new Squad Cost Ratio financial rules for Premier League clubs.

The 27-year-old would represent an experienced option for Leeds, having come through the youth set-up and played for FC Porto, before then heading to Germany with Union Berlin.

Leite clocked three full seasons of Bundesliga football for the capital club and Farke has often liked to bring in players from Germany to Elland Road.

The Portuguese is likely to be in no rush to decide his future as he makes sure his next destination is the right one for what may be the most important contract of his career.