Leeds United have taken advantage of a transfer maelstrom at Barcelona to pounce on a leading Camp Nou talent amid links to a key Rangers star.
The Elland Road club have just announced the signing of Barca left-back Junior Firpo amid high-profile links to Rangers star Borna Barisic.
The 24-year-old Dominic Republic-born Spanish left-back joins Leeds on a four-year deal reported to be worth in the region of £13m [BBC Sport].
This will surely put an end to speculation linking the Lilywhites with a move for Rangers’ Croatian international Borna Barisic, the ex-NK Osijek captain routinely linked to Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
Most recently Leeds have been linked to Borna in June by Football Insider who claimed that the club had sent scouts to watch Barisic at Euro 2020.
However, following a back injury heading into the tournament Borna’s time on the pitch for the Balkans nation was limited to a substitute appearance against Scotland at Hampden.
Last summer Sportske Novosti in Barisic’s homeland also reported that Rangers turned down an £8m offer for Borna from Elland Road.
The move also comes amid high-profile reports pertaining to financial difficulties at Barcelona who at present cannot register new signings until they clear their wage bill.
The club needs to shed a reported €200m (£171m) from the club’s wage bill in order to register the the likes of new signings Sergio Aguero and Memphis Depay after exceeding the La Liga salary limit [Goal].
This also couldn’t come at a much worse time after star man Lionel Messi’s contract expired, meaning they must shift players before they can secure the Argentine on a new deal.
Firpo follows the likes of Francisco Trincao (Wolves), Konrad De La Fuente (Marseille) and Jean Claire-Todibo (Nice) out of the club but more are expected to follow.
Samuel Umtiti, Miralem Pjanic, Philippe Coutinho, Carles Alena, Moussa Wague, Neto, Clement Lenglet and Sergi Roberto could also all be moved on.
As far as Rangers are concerned the fact Leeds have moved elsewhere will be music to their ears but was Borna staying put ever really in doubt?
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