Junior Firpo set to sign for Leeds United
According to The Athletic, Junior Firpo is all set to join Leeds United from La Liga giants, Barcelona. The Spanish full-back has played second fiddle to Jordi Alba for much of his time at Camp Nou and featured in just 7 La Liga games this season. Firpo also had offers from AC Milan, Southampton, Brighton, and Napoli.
However, the 24-year-old now seems close to joining the Whites. A report by AS states that Barcelona have reached an agreement with Leeds for a €15million transfer fee and a four-year contract for Firpo. And here, we list out why the U-21 UEFA Euro champion with Spain is a great addition for Marcelo Bielsa.
Firpo can be a direct replacement for Alioski
As per a report by Leeds Live, Ezgjan Alioski is set to be a free agent in July as his contract at Elland Road reaches its end. Leeds tabled a new offer for the 29-year-old, but there is no news of the North Macedonian left-back putting pen to paper. He was a regular starter for Leeds since his move in 2017 from Lugano.
That leaves a glaring void on the left flank for the Whites. Alioski has been a regular first-team player for Bielsa, making 171 appearances over the course of 4 seasons including 36 Premier League outings in the latest campaign. If he does leave as a free agent, replacing him would be a big task.
And Firpo could be the man to take over the helm. No player wants to warm the bench at a club and the former Real Betis man would want to establish himself as a first-team player at Elland Road. He would not have many players to compete with in that position as well, with Barry Douglas also departing on a free transfer.
That leaves the Whites with youngster Leif Davis, but the 21-year-old Englishman doesn’t have the experience to take over Alioski’s throne. He played just 31 minutes of Premier League football last season and was a regular fixture for Leeds’ youth side. Laurens De Bock, on the other hand, is clearly not favoured by Bielsa.
Firpo would be a timely addition
The Belgian full-back has been loaned out 4 times since signing for Leeds United in 2018, and last made an appearance for them in March 2018. This is where they need Firpo’s top-flight experience in Spain, and a potential deal for the Spaniard would fill a gaping hole in their team.
The specifics of the deal, as mentioned above, also seem reasonable. Leeds should not think that the transfer fee is exorbitant, while Alioski and Douglas’ exit would surely cover at least a portion of Firpo’s wages, which are yet to be revealed. All in all, this could be a solid move for the Premier League side if the deal actually does get announced.
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Leeds know that the Premier League is not the same as the Championship. Transfer windows are a time for these clubs to strengthen their team and replace any player that might be on their way out and Leeds have responded well in the case of Alioski’s potential departure.
And at 24, there is also the scope of Firpo developing and becoming an even better player- which comes as an added bonus for Leeds.