Leeds United haven’t had the best start to the 2024/25 season. Daniel Farke’s side began with a 3-3 draw against newly promoted Portsmouth at Elland Road, followed by a 3-0 loss to Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup. They were then held to a 0-0 draw against West Brom. Meanwhile, Georginio Rutter seems poised to join Archie Gray and Crysencio Summerville in leaving the club, as Brighton triggered his £40m release clause.
However, some good news could be on the horizon for Leeds United, as a transfer target appears to be pushing for a move to Elland Road.
Dejan Ljubicic Wants Leeds United Move
According to a report from Kicker in Germany (print edition, Monday 19th August), Dejan Ljubicic is eager to leave FC Koln to join Leeds United. The outlet notes that Ljubicic missed FC Koln’s 3-2 win over Sandhausen, with the club citing injury as the reason for his absence.
However, Kicker casts doubt on this explanation, mentioning that Ljubicic participated in FC Koln’s final training session before their DFB-Pokal match on Friday. The report suggests that the £23,000-a-week player is keen to move to Leeds and didn’t want to risk injury that could jeopardize the transfer.
Leeds United have already had a €4m (£3.4m) bid for Ljubicic rejected. The midfielder is in the final 11 months of his contract with FC Koln, meaning he could leave for free in 2025 unless he signs a new deal.
One Potential Issue for FC Koln
While FC Koln might prefer to cash in on Ljubicic rather than lose him for nothing in 2025, there is a complication. Kicker reports that FC Koln is currently under a transfer ban, which means they wouldn’t be able to replace Ljubicic if he leaves for Leeds.
Given that Ljubicic is one of FC Koln’s most crucial players and could play a significant role in their push for promotion back to the Bundesliga, the club might gamble on keeping him despite Leeds’ interest.
This situation is worth monitoring as Ljubicic attempts to secure a move to Leeds United.
