‘Difficult for Leeds to reach’: Victor Orta says club couldn’t afford to sign 18-cap international

Add as preferred source on Google

Leeds United director of football Victor Orta has shed some light on the Whites’ pursuit of Rodrigo De Paul this summer, in conversation with the Yorkshire Evening Post.

The Premier League newcomers were linked with the Udinese midfielder in September, with Marcelo Bielsa eyeing reinforcements in the centre of the park.

According to 90min, Leeds were prepared to pay £25m for the 26-year-old, who was said to be their leading target, but the Italian club wanted £40m.

In the end, De Paul stayed put at Udinese, and the Elland Road side brought in Raphinha on the final day of the international transfer window.

“[De Paul] was one player we analysed but, in the end, the valuation of his club was at a level that was difficult for Leeds to reach, as a newly-promoted club,” Orta told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

“Not just for Leeds but a lot of clubs because, in the end, nobody took him, because of the evaluation of his club, which is fair.”

TBR View:

An incredibly versatile and talented player with plenty of experience at the highest level, De Paul seemed a perfect fit for Bielsa’s style of football.

Unfortunately, with Udinese slapping a heavy price tag on the 18-cap Argentina international, it wasn’t to be for Leeds.

However, the Whites can be happy with their transfer business over the summer, and given how they’ve hit the ground running so far this season, hopefully there will be more wins and great football on the horizon.