Leeds United's pursuit of Igor Paixao has been strengthened after Celtic reportedly lodged an £8million bid for Haissem Hassan. The Egyptian, of Real Oviedo, had been linked with a move to the French club, but Celtic's offer exceeds Marseille’s financial capacity.
Marseille Shift Focus to Krepin Diatta
As a result, Marseille have turned their attention to free agent Krepin Diatta. Diatta has been a free agent since leaving AS Monaco at the end of June, and his versatility plus his Ligue 1 and European experience are viewed favourably by Marseille's decision-makers.
French reports claim the club must offload €150m (£128m) worth of players by June 30, 2027, to avoid breaching league rules and facing the threat of relegation.
Leeds Encouraged by Developments
For Leeds, both developments are encouraging, suggesting Marseille may be more willing to sell Paixao this summer. It has also been suggested that a fee of around £30m could be enough to secure the Brazilian, while other reports indicate Marseille may demand closer to £42.5m.
Either way, discussions with a financially constrained club, one under pressure to remain compliant with league regulations, may now progress more smoothly. It's not the first time Paixao has been linked with a switch to Elland Road.
Paixao's Premier League Dream
Daniel Farke's side pushed hard for him last season, but the winger chose to leave Feyenoord for Marseille in a £25m move. 12 months on, his name is back in the Leeds conversation and should the Whites finally get a deal over the line, they would be helping him tick off one of his biggest football ambitions.
During the pre-season, Farke has made it clear the club are still active in this summer's transfer window. He said: "Also, we’re still in the market for some signings. Obviously, it’s not done."
"The work is not done, and all the others who are on a good path have to make sure we go to the next yards. If we stop right now and think, okay, everything is already prepared, it won’t be good enough. We have to keep going. We are far away from staying not humble, from being over the moon or too big time anyhow."
Paixao, meanwhile, has already made his feelings clear on a potential move to the Premier League. In a previous interview with GE Globo three years ago, he said: "The Premier League is a dream for me. Making it to the national team is another goal. I'm going to work towards that, so I can be at the Olympic Games."
"And of course, I want to give my family an even better future, be able to help more, and have a well-established career in football."
