Who is Tarik Muharemovic? Leeds assess left-footed centre-back amid interest after Pascal Struijk sale | OneFootball

Leeds United are assessing Sassuolo centre-back Tarik Muharemovic as they look to fill the left side of defence after Pascal Struijk’s £20m move to Brighton.

According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, Leeds are interested in the 23-year-old but there is nothing beyond that at this stage. Developments could change quickly.

Born in Slovenia, Muharemovic began at Wolfsberger AC in Austria’s top flight, then joined Juventus in 2021 for their Next Gen side.

He joined Sassuolo on loan in 2024 in Serie B, making 28 league appearances on the way to promotion. A €5m permanent followed and he logged 32 Serie A outings with two goals in an 11th-place finish.

He plays for Bosnia and Herzegovina, his parents’ birth country, debuting in a 3-0 loss to England in June 2024, and has 17 caps, including at this summer’s World Cup.

A left-footed centre-back, he usually operates on the left, mainly in a back four but also in a back three. He is six-foot-four and noted for his physicality.

Last season he ranked in Serie A’s top nine per cent for defensive contributions at 10.86 per 90, including 7.05 clearances. His duel success was 64.4 per cent, beating Struijk’s 55.6, while Struijk averaged 9.07 defensive actions.

On the ball he averaged 44.86 passes per 90 at 85.7 per cent, slightly below Struijk’s 49.86 at 88.5, and he is a set-piece threat with two corner goals and 15 corner shots in 2025/26.

He could be a capable replacement, perhaps even an upgrade.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk