Leeds Transfer News: Whites could axe star to seal £40m deal

Leeds United have settled on a plan to secure a club-record deal that could help seal their long-term Premier League status.

The Whites’ form over the past few months has allayed concerns over their worrying early-season results, which threatened to all but condemn the Championship winners to an immediate second-tier return.

With things looking a lot brighter, albeit with plenty of football still to be played, Leeds can ill afford to stand still, and their recent transfer activity suggests they have no plans to do so.

Heading into the window’s last 10 days, Leeds have welcomed Facundo Buonanotte to Elland Road and have been linked to the likes of Austria midfielder Romano Schmid and Chelsea defender Axel Disasi.

However, the frontline has been identified as a key area of improvement as they seek to secure a prolonged stay in the top flight, despite multiple attacking arrivals over the summer.

And that has left them guided towards what would be a huge transfer that could enhance their chances of Premier League success this season and beyond – but at a cost.

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are still keen on Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen, and have hatched a plan to bring the Norwegian to West Yorkshire while keeping within their financial limits.

Wolves are more or less resigned to letting Strand Larsen go while his stock is high ahead of the Old Gold’s seemingly inevitable drop to the Championship.

But with the Premier League strugglers being stubborn over Strand Larsen’s £40m price tag, Leeds will have to get creative to pull off such a deal.

It is thought that Leeds would prefer a loan deal with an obligation to buy, but with clubs queueing up for Strand Larsen’s services, that is unlikely to be the most attractive offer on the table for Wolves.

Therefore, Leeds may have to make some room through a sale of their own, and have earmarked Joel Piroe for the chopping block to allow for Strand Larsen’s arrival without breaking the bank.

Piroe could be sold elsewhere or included in a swap deal with Wolves, which may appeal to the Premier League’s bottom club considering the Surinamese’s effectiveness in the Championship.

He struck 19 times as Leeds finished top in 2024/25, bettering his tally of 16 in his first campaign at Elland Road. His record at Swansea City – 41 goals in 91 appearances – speaks for itself.

You can see the value in offering Piroe to Wolves, particularly with Rob Edwards’ side expecting to bounce straight back up should they go down – at least one relegated club has achieved immediate promotion to the Premier League since 2019/20.

That would also be far more financially viable for Leeds, and if Strand Larsen can hit the ground running by performing as well as he did last season, it could easily become a deal that satisfies everyone.

Graduated in Sport Journalism (BA) with first-class honours from the University of Brighton and has since had bylines in The Times, sports business publication SportsPro, Football FanCast and The Gooner fanzine.

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