Player branded Leeds’ dream No.10 signing rules out move by hinting he’s not good enough for Premier League | OneFootball

Leeds United’s chances of adding Armenia captain Eduard Spertsyan to their ranks this summer has been emphatically dismissed by the player himself amid a somewhat alarming admission, and with TEAMtalk revealing why UK law would prohibit his signing anyway.

Leeds have long since craved a playmaker to fill the hole left by the iconic Pablo Hernandez, who departed Elland Road in the summer of 2021 after a legendary five-year stint in West Yorkshire. Few have since tried to fill his shoes, the latest being Facundo Buonanotte, who arrived with much promise in January but quickly faded from the picture after failing to impress Daniel Farke.

While TEAMtalk has learned that the Argentine will be sent back to Brighton at the season’s end, there seemingly remains an opening in Farke’s squad to sign a replacement, who can perhaps succeed where the two-times capped Buonanotte has failed.

In that regard, one man persistently linked with Leeds over the last 12 months is Krasnodar playmaker, Spertsyan, who has racked up some seriously impressive numbers during his time in Russia.

Named Russian football’s Player of the Year in 2024/25, Spertsyan has 102 G/A (56 goals, 46 assists) across his 173 appearances for Krasnodar; numbers which compare to Bruno Fernandes’ stats with arch rivals Manchester United.

However, the prospects of a move to Elland Road this summer have now taken a rapid downturn after the player himself was asked directly about his links to Leeds and why he felt he was not quite ready to play in the Premier League.

“I know absolutely nothing about [Leeds’ interest],” he told Sport Express. “Really. These questions aren’t for me. If I leave, my preferences will probably be for Spain or Italy.

“England? That is probably another step up. I’m not afraid in principle, but it is better to get there via a different league first. The most important thing is that I play and don’t just go somewhere else.”

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Irrespective of whether Leeds hold a genuine interest in the player or not, we revealed earlier this year why a move to the Premier League looks highly improbable, given the restrictions which are currently in place that bar Russia-based players from moving to England.

And while we revealed there are ways around it, Leeds would need to jump through multiple loopholes first, ensuring a move looks virtually impossible to pull off.

That’s because current UK sanctions make it impossible to conduct transfer business with Russian clubs. The issue was highlighted in the case involving West Ham and CSKA Moscow over the Nikola Vlasic deal, where the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled in 2025 that paying the outstanding fee was “objectively impossible” under UK law. That ruling remains in effect until sanctions are lifted, something that will only happen once the conflict in Ukraine ends.

While English clubs are effectively locked out, the rest of Europe is not. Teams in France, Portugal and Turkey have all completed transfers with Russian sides in the past year.

However, those close to the player have confirmed to us that Spertsyan is ready to leave Russia this summer. And while the Premier League is a major attraction, by the player’s own admission, a move elsewhere in Europe looks far more likely right now.

Latest Leeds news: Calvert-Lewin upgrade wanted; quintet set to leave

Meanwhile, the Whites are reportedly ready to splurge enormous sums of cash on signing a big-name striker to compete with Dominic Calvert-Lewin amid concerns over his consistency, and with sources able to confirm three major targets.

One player we revealed Leeds had watched recently – Bodo/Glimt star Kasper Hogh – now seems certain to head elsewhere, with reports revealing where the Dane will likely move to this summer.

With several squad changes expected this summer, we revealed over the weekend the names of the first five players Leeds will likely move on this summer.

The immediate priority at Leeds, though, of course, remains on securing their Premier League status. And survival still in their hands, a pundit has also named three games in which they need to collect maximum points from, if they are to avoid an immediate return to the second tier.