Leeds United given green light in race for Crystal Palace target | OneFootball

Leeds United given green light in race for Crystal Palace target | OneFootball

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Football League World

·5 July 2024

Leeds United given green light in race for Crystal Palace target

Article image:Leeds United given green light in race for Crystal Palace target

KAA Gent are said to be willing to sell the Nigerian this summer, with the Yorkshire side said to be keen

Leeds United transfer target Jordan Torunarigha is said to be free to leave current side KAA Gent this summer, with the Belgian side willing to listen to offers for the 26-year-old.


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That’s according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, who insists that the Jupiler Pro League’s new owners’ first priority is to get players out the door this summer, before finding any replacements.

That will be music to the ears of Daniel Farke’s side, who are said to be facing competition from the likes of Crystal Palace and Torino in the race for the defender’s signature.

The left-sided defender helped his side finish seventh in the Belgian top flight last season, as he featured in 24 league matches over the course of the previous campaign.

KAA Gent prepare fire-sale with Leeds United ready to pounce for defender Jordan Torunarigha

Torunarigha currently has just 12 months remaining on his current deal in Belgium, meaning that Gent are more than willing to cash in on their prized asset while they still have the chance.

Reports have claimed that the defender could be available for as little as €2.5 to 3 (£2.1 to 2.5) million this summer, which could play into the Yorkshire side’s hands given the financial uncertainty within the club as it stands.

According to reports from the Daily Mail, losing out in the Championship play-off final has meant the Elland Road outfit need to raise as much as £100m to balance the books this summer, according to EFL financial laws.

That means plenty of top talent will likely be leaving the club in the coming weeks, and following academy graduate Archie Gray out the exit door in LS11, with the young star joining Tottenham Hotspur in a reported £40 million deal.

Defender Pascal Struijk has also been linked with a move away from the club recently, with the Belgian said to be of interest to Serie A side Torino.

The availability of a player like Torunarigha will have United rubbing their hands as a result, with the 26-year-old available for a cut-price fee as a result of Gent’s willingness for a summer clear out.

Jordan Torunarigha could be bargain Pascal Struijk replacement for Leeds United

If Struijk [pictured] is to leave for Italy this summer, the signing of Torunarigha could prove to be a shrew bit of business by the Yorkshire side, as they look to recover from their Championship playoff final defeat to Southampton.

Having come up through the ranks at Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga, the 26-year-old initially made the move to Belgium in January of 2022, with a six-month loan deal agreed before a permanent switch.

Article image:Leeds United given green light in race for Crystal Palace target

Once established in the defensive unit, the Nigerian has been a regular feature throughout his time with Gent, with experience in continental competition under his belt in the Europa League last season.

With his current club now willing to let him go - along with a number of teammates - United won’t be wasting anytime in trying to lure him to Yorkshire, and fend off competing clubs for his signature.

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