Leeds United’s summer overhaul is picking up real speed. Two guys who played regular minutes for them last season are already out the door, and the club is zeroing in on replacements at both center-back and in goal.
Pascal Struijk is gone to Brighton for £20 million, a deal that went through without much drama. And Karl Darlow looks headed to Manchester United on a free transfer — that one’s basically done, just waiting on the official announcement. So that’s your starting left center-back and your veteran backup goalkeeper from the 2025/26 campaign, both gone before July is even over.
Who’s Coming In?
According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds has its eye on Sassuolo’s Tarik Muharemovic as a potential Struijk replacement. The 23-year-old Bosnian center-back played regularly in Serie B last season and fits the profile of a younger, cheaper option with room to grow. Nothing is close yet, but the interest is real.
In goal, the club is looking at two names. One is Zion Suzuki, the Japanese international who spent last season at Parma. The other is James Trafford, currently sitting on Manchester City’s bench after a loan spell at Burnley. Both are young, both are athletic, and both would come in as the likely starter — not just depth.
Left Wing-Back and Fringe Sales
Leeds also needs cover at left wing-back. That position was already thin last season, and with Struijk gone (he could play there in a pinch), the need is more obvious now. The club is reportedly open to cashing in on a few fringe guys too, though no names have leaked yet on who might be moved.
It’s worth noting that none of this is set in stone. The team hasn’t confirmed any of these targets, and transfer windows have a way of shifting fast. But the direction is clear: Leeds is refreshing the backline and the goalkeeper spot in a pretty serious way. The defensive unit that takes the field for the first match of next season could look almost entirely different from the one that finished last year.
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