Leeds United might be about to add a third piece to their summer rebuild, and the price tag is surprisingly reasonable. According to multiple reports, the club has been told that a $25 million offer would be enough to bring Udinese center-back Oumar Solet to Elland Road.
This isn’t some drawn-out negotiation saga either. The word is straightforward: put up the cash, and the deal gets done. Solet’s contract runs through 2027, but Udinese seems willing to let him go at that price rather than risk losing value later. That kind of clarity is rare in the summer window.
Leeds Already Made Two Big Moves This Summer
The club hasn’t been sitting still. They already locked down Tarik Muharemovic as a direct replacement for Pascal Struijk, who had to be sold due to contract complications. That was a necessary move, not an optional one. Then they added Harry Wilson to the mix, giving Daniel Farke more attacking options on the wing.
Solet would be different. He’s not a replacement for anyone who left. He’s an addition, a guy who could slot in next to Muharemovic and give Leeds some real physicality at the back. At 6-foot-4, he’s a presence in the box and comfortable stepping into midfield with the ball. That fits what Farke wants from his center-backs.
Competition from Serie A Giants
Here’s where it gets tricky. Leeds aren’t the only ones watching Solet. Inter Milan and Juventus are both tracking him, according to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke. Those clubs can offer Champions League football and a path back to Italy, where Solet already plays. Leeds can offer Premier League stability and a starting role. It’s a real choice for the player.
But the fact that Udinese has essentially set a price and said “pay it and he’s yours” changes the dynamics. It’s not a bidding war anymore. It’s a race. First to $25 million wins.
Goalkeeper Question Still Lingers
Leeds moved Illan Meslier to Arsenal and Karl Darlow to Manchester United earlier this summer, so the net is a genuine problem. They need at least one starting-caliber keeper, maybe two.
Brighton’s Carl Rushworth has been offered to them, and the Seagulls are open to selling. But Leeds insider Graham Smyth has been clear: James Trafford is the dream. Manchester City’s young keeper is the guy they’re waiting on. “I think they are waiting for Trafford,” Smyth said. “His future will be decided now that the World Cup is over. Leeds are waiting to get themselves into a good position and jostle with others to try and get him in. Dream signing if they can get it over the line.”
That’s where it stands. Solet could be done this week if Leeds moves fast. The keeper situation might take longer. But two weeks into the window, the club is making noise. That’s more than some Premier League sides can say.
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