Graeme Bailey has dropped an update on reported Leeds United transfer target Arnaud Kalimuendo.
What’s the latest?
Speaking recently to the One Leeds Fan YouTube channel, the 90min journalist revealed that, following numerous reports linking Victor Orta with a move for the Paris Saint-Germain centre-forward this summer, Leeds have already agreed a deal with the Ligue 1 side regarding the transfer of the 20-year-old – who is believed to be available for a figure in the region of €25m (£21m).
However, Bailey went on to state that, after the France under-21 starlet impressed in PSG’s pre-season fixtures, Christophe Galtier is now unsure whether or not he would be willing to part with the striker ahead of the 2022/23 campaign – despite the club’s sporting director, Luis Campos, looking to move the attacker on.
Concerning Leeds’ interest in a move for Kalimuendo, the journalist said: “The broad principle of the deal is agreed. As with a lot of these deals, agreeing a fee can sometimes be the easiest bit, all of these deals are very different.
“In Leeds’ case here, agreeing the terms with PSG isn’t the issue, but he’s come back from pre-season and performed very well. Christophe Galtier has come in and likes what he is seeing, he’s a very good player. Luis Campos, the sporting director, was looking to move him on. It’s not off, it’s just purely stalled.”
Supporters will be buzzing
While it is true that Galtier’s hesitation as to whether or not he will allow Kalimuendo to leave the Parc des Princes this summer is sure to be a source of frustration to Orta and his transfer team, Bailey’s claim that Leeds have agreed a deal with PSG for the transfer of the 20-year-old is nevertheless sure to have left the Elland Road faithful buzzing.
Indeed, over the course of his 60 Ligue 1 fixtures throughout his two-year loan at RC Lens, the £16.2m-rated forward really caught the eye, bagging 19 goals, providing five assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.5 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 0.85 dribbles per game.
These returns helped Les Sang et Or to secure consecutive seventh-place finishes in the French top flight, a quite remarkable feat for a side who were only promoted to the top tier as recently as 2019/20.
Also, considering the fact that Kalimuendo currently has the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Lionel Messi, Mauro Icardi and summer signing Hugo Ekitike ahead of him in PSG’s attacking pecking order, in theory, it should not be difficult to convince Galtier into parting with the 20-year-old ahead of the 2022/23 campaign – especially with Campos pushing for a sale.
As such, Bailey’s claim that the Whites already have a deal in place with Les Parisiens for the transfer of the French youth international is undoubtedly fantastic news for all involved with the club, as Kalimuendo would very much appear to be one of the final pieces of Jesse Marsch’s first-team jigsaw this summer.
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