Leeds are prepared to pay a club record £31.6million to prise Belgium striker Charles De Ketelaere from Bruges.
Leeds are willing to meet Bruges’ asking price and offer £25.6million up front with another £6million in add-ons. Bruges hope to start a bidding war and have rejected a bid from AC Milan worth just over £17million up front, while Leicester are also keen on De Ketelaere. Leicester have yet to submit an offer and are monitoring developments.
De Ketelaere, 21, will need persuading to join Leeds and he is not enthusiastic about moving to Elland Road because they were almost relegated last season. His preference would be Milan and the Serie A champs can offer him Champions League football. Leeds want a striker and are prepared to push hard to land De Ketelaere, who scored 15 goals last season for club and country, and their offer eclipses the club record fee of £30million they paid Valencia for Rodrigo two years ago.
Leeds are determined to keep spending after completing Luis Sinisterra’s £21.4million capture from Feyenoord to take their summer outlay to £93million. Sinisterra, 23, has been brought to Elland Road to replace Raphinha, who is set to leave with Chelsea, Barcelona and Arsenal all keen on him.
Chelsea are prepared to meet Leeds’ asking price and pay £60million up front for the Brazil star with another £5million in add-ons. Raphinha would prefer to join Barcelona - and has agreed terms with them - but their offer is not worth as much as Chelsea’s.
They have proposed paying £51million in three equal instalments, which Leeds are not keen to accept. Leeds feel they have signed a gem like Raphinha in Sinisterra and the winger has been likened to fellow Colombian and Liverpool star Luis Diaz.
Sinisterra scored 23 goals and had 14 assists last season for Feyenoord as he helped them reach the Europa Conference League Final. Sinisterra, who has signed a five-year deal at Elland Road, aims to reproduce that dazzling form for Leeds.
“Of course I will work to bring my quality to Leeds,” he said. "This is my feeling, that I want to do the same or even more for this team and for the fans. I think it is also one of my characteristics, to enjoy and make the fans happy with my skills, my quality and hopefully I can do that here at Elland Road.”
Sinisterra claims he will fulfil a childhood dream when he makes his Premier League debut for Leeds. It was my dream when I was a child, right now I am close to making that,” he said. “I’m very happy to be here in this beautiful club. I’m am enjoying this time.
“I know it’s a historic club with beautiful fans. I heard a lot of things about the stadium and atmosphere, it’s amazing so I can’t wait to feel that in person.”
