Leeds United are reportedly pursuing a 24-year-old defender from a La Liga club following their confirmed signing of Jaka Bijol. This potential second defensive acquisition highlights the club`s efforts to reinforce the backline for the upcoming season.
Bijol Joins Leeds
Leeds recently announced the signing of Jaka Bijol as their second summer acquisition. Bijol was identified as a key transfer target, and his move was finalized on Saturday. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed the deal with his signature “here we go,” and the club has since announced that the player signed a five-year contract set to run until 2030.
Although the official fee remains `undisclosed,` reports suggest that Leeds, recently promoted to the top flight, will pay Italian side Udinese approximately £19 million for the defender. The 26-year-old featured in 34 Serie A matches last season, marking his highest appearance tally in a single campaign since joining Udinese in 2022.
Bijol is the second player to join Leeds this summer, following the free transfer of Lukas Nmecha from Wolfsburg last week.
Bijol adds to the current group of recognized centre-back options at Elland Road, which includes Joe Rodon, Maximilian Wober, Pascal Struijk, and Ethan Ampadu. However, it appears the Championship winners are looking to bring in another defender to bolster the squad further.
Leeds Target Natan from Real Betis
Following their successful approach for Bijol, Leeds have now reportedly made inquiries to Real Betis regarding the potential signing of Natan this summer.
Natan initially joined the Spanish club on a loan deal from Serie A champions Napoli last summer. Real Betis exercised their purchase option to make the transfer permanent this summer. Despite this recent move, Leeds are reportedly already working to reach an agreement that could see Betis immediately profit from the 24-year-old Brazilian`s sale.
During the last La Liga season, Natan made 31 appearances, contributing to four clean sheets and averaging 1.1 tackles per game. He also gained valuable European experience, playing 15 times in the UEFA Conference League campaign, where Betis reached the final before being defeated by Chelsea. Natan also recorded stats including 0.9 interceptions, 2.4 balls recovered, a ground duel success rate of 62%, and an aerial duel success rate of 68%.
The potential arrival of Natan at Elland Road could lead to a significant change in Leeds` central defence next season. It seems likely that he would be expected to feature prominently, perhaps forming a new partnership with Bijol, given that it appears improbable he would leave a starting role in La Liga to be a substitute.
While Natan has no previous experience in English football, his background playing at a high level in Spain and Italy with Betis and Napoli, combined with his European exposure, could provide valuable assets for Leeds in their effort to secure survival in the league.
