Euro 2024 ace wants Leeds United move and Daniel Farke may land £10m discount

Bundesliga ace Roland Sallai is keen on a move to Leeds United but the Championship outfit are yet to agree a fee with Freiburg for their Hungarian international.

During his press conference on Thursday afternoon, Daniel Farke confirmed that he was hoping to bring in a midfielder, a full-back and potentially another forward before the August 30th deadline.

With Ao Tanaka on his way to Elland Road from Fortuna Dusseldorf, Leeds United appear to be a third of the way there.

Tanaka, HITC understands, is closing in on a potential £4 million move to the Championship challengers. His boss at the German second-tier outfit has now confirmed that the 25-year-old Japan international was not in training today, and will also be unavailable for Friday’s Bundesliga.2 clash with Hannover.

Tanaka is not the only German-based talent on Leeds’ hitlist, meanwhile,

HITC can now confirm that there are talks ongoing for Freiburg attacker Roland Sallai too.

Leeds United want Ao Tanaka and Roland Sallai

Sallai hopes to be a Leeds’ player by the time Hull City arrive in West Yorkshire this weekend.

Freiburg are looking for £10 million and, while Leeds have not yet offered such a fee, both clubs are not too far apart in their valuations.

There is also a belief that the Baden-Wurttemberg outfit can be convinced to accept a lower sum with the former APOEL Nicosia attacker due to become a free agent in the summer of 2025.

Sallai, capped 52 times by Hungary, has been a Freiburg player since 2018. Two-footed and versatile, the winger has played on both flanks and also as a second-striker on occasions.

A tally of eight goals last season, meanwhile, was his joint-best as a Freiburg player.

Leeds have already signed two wide forwards in the last week or so. Largie Ramazani joins in a £10 million deal from Almeria while Manor Solomon – who like Sallai has Champions League football on his CV – arrives on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

Daniel Farke wants more additions at Elland Road

HITC understands that Leeds are keen on Burnley’s Manuel Benson too.

Benson will be allowed to leave Burnley for the right price, and Leeds have alternatives in mind should they fail to come to terms with Freiburg over Sallai.

Legendary former Freiburg coach Christian Streich was full of praise by the improvements a late-blooming Sallai had made during 2023.

He highlighted the discipline, the work-rate and the improved decision-making which, he said, would likely appeal to plenty of other clubs with Lazio, West Ham and Wolves among those who have been linked previously.

“(His defensive output) helps the team enormously,” Streich told Kicker. “Roland is very positive for the team because he gets everything done and keeps it up for 90 minutes.

“It’s not about shining, it’s about giving the team strength based on his abilities; Both offensively and defensively. He does that. I’m very happy about that.

“This is also being observed in other places, not just in Freiburg. This can really help him.”

Leeds have lost star men Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter and Archie Gray this summer, though a flurry of arrivals late in the window should help to rebuild the optimism that had dissipated around Elland Road.

“We have confirmed two important signings for us this week,” Farke tells Leeds Live of Solomon and Ramazani. “I hope there will be business in the next couple of days. We definitely need a midfield addition and full-back.

“We stay awake (for potential additions) in the offensive positions.”

Sallai featured in all three of Hungary’s games at this summer’s European Championships, assisting that last-gasp winner against Scotland.