Leeds United ‘to pivot’ to Matthieu Epolo over Michael Zetterer in No. 2 hunt | OneFootball

Leeds United are weighing a U-turn in their search for a No. 2 goalkeeper, with 21-year-old Standard Liege prospect Matthieu Epolo now in their sights. Get French Football News reports that Daniel Farke and the 49ers recruitment team are assessing a move as the window enters its final days.

While 31-year-old Michael Zetterer has been heavily linked, the Eintracht Frankfurt keeper is hesitant about accepting a rotational bench role. Shifting to a player a decade younger would mark a clear change of approach for Leeds’ backup slot.

Epolo, who represented DR Congo at the recent FIFA World Cup, is viewed as an athletic sweeper with strong distribution. At 21, he would accept a secondary role with an eye on becoming a long-term starter.

He had drawn strong interest from Marseille, but the French club have cooled their pursuit after deciding to keep Jeffrey De Lange. With Toulouse stepping back following Guillaume Restes’ choice to stay, Leeds now have a clear run at the €8 million (£6.8 million) asset.

The Paraag Marathe-led club are still weighing whether to recruit experience or back an emerging option for the No. 2 berth. Should they opt for the latter, Epolo has emerged as the front-runner, aligning with 49ers Enterprises’ buy-young, build-value model.

Source: Leedsunited.news

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