{"id":221267,"date":"2025-06-28T12:03:16","date_gmt":"2025-06-28T12:03:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/221267\/"},"modified":"2025-06-28T12:03:16","modified_gmt":"2025-06-28T12:03:16","slug":"the-two-midfielders-leeds-united-will-look-to-sign-after-missing-out-on-habib-diarra-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/221267\/","title":{"rendered":"The two midfielders Leeds United will look to sign after missing out on Habib Diarra deal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Leeds United have missed out to Sunderland in signing Habib Diarra from RC Strasbourg.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The deal always looked like a difficult one for Leeds United<\/a> to complete given the figures it could go to and the messaging from the club early on in negotiations.<\/p>\n

Despite other recent reports stating that\u00a0Strasbourg would demand closer to \u00a325 million for Diarra<\/a>, it was always likely to be far more than that.<\/p>\n

Sunderland then joined the race for Diarra<\/a>\u00a0and were set to offer far more than the quoted \u00a325 million. Alan Nixon claimed it could be closer to \u00a335 million to land Liam Rosenior\u2019s captain.<\/p>\n

\"NoahPhoto by BRUNO FAHY\/BELGA MAG\/AFP via Getty ImagesThe Habib Diarra situation for Leeds and alternative options they will eye up <\/p>\n

The fee has since been confirmed by Fabrizio Romano, meaning Leeds will have to turn to other options instead after deciding against matching Sunderland\u2019s high bid.<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udea8\ud83e\udd0d\u2764\ufe0f More on Habib Diarra and Sunderland exclusive story overnight.<\/p>\n

Documents are being exchanged with Strasbourg, initial fee worth \u20ac31.5m plus \u20ac4m add-ons.<\/p>\n

Medical already booked, here we go 100% confirmed. pic.twitter.com\/9fHBUgQWPh<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 28, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

View Tweet<\/p>\n

Leeds could afford to buy the player in isolation but not when they are considering making numerous additions. They opted not to pull the trigger on a deal that became more expensive than they had hoped.<\/p>\n

Leeds intend to spread the money sensibly this summer and will not be able to sign their top priority in each position, with everything needing to fit together by the end of the window.<\/p>\n

MORE LEEDS UNITED STORIES<\/p>\n

Therefore, cheaper alternatives to Diarra could allow for a higher spend in other areas of the team. Here are two players Leeds will be looking to sign instead of the Sunderland-bound central midfielder.<\/p>\n

1) Noah Sadiki<\/p>\n

A player who has appeared as someone who could follow the first arrivals of the summer is Union Saint-Gilloise midfielder\u00a0Noah Sadiki<\/a>, as\u00a0talk emerged that\u00a0Leeds made an \u00a38.5 million bid for Sadiki<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Leeds fans are excited by the Sadiki rumours<\/a>, although talk of the bid has since been played down but\u00a0Sadiki could be a coup for Leeds<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s expected that\u00a0Sadiki leaves Belgium amid interest from Leeds<\/a> this summer. He is someone the club are seriously interested in and that they could make a move for in the coming weeks instead of Diarra.<\/p>\n

He will cost a fraction of the price to sign, even though the 20-year-old has never played above the Belgian top flight and there are some concerns surrounding that fact.<\/p>\n

2) Sean Longstaff<\/p>\n

Newcastle United\u2019s\u00a0Sean Longstaff<\/a>\u00a0is on the radar as well. Homegrown, Longstaff is a good profile for Leeds<\/a> to consider and also far cheaper as he is in the final year of his deal with the Magpies.<\/p>\n

Longstaff was first touted as a Leeds target<\/a>\u00a0over a year ago. Now Leeds are back in the Premier League,\u00a0Longstaff has once again emerged<\/a>\u00a0as a possible signing.<\/p>\n

A\u00a0\u00a310 million Longstaff price tag has been mooted<\/a> and, should Leeds sign him, they will be getting a player\u00a0Sandro Tonali believes is very underrated.<\/a><\/p>\n

Eddie Howe has opened the door for Longstaff to leave Newcastle<\/a>\u00a0this summer and more recent talk has seen a sensible rationale for Leeds signing Longstaff emerge<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"MahdiPhoto by Jasmin Walter\/Getty ImagesWhat other midfielders are Leeds looking at instead of Diarra?<\/p>\n

Leeds are in the race to sign Douglas Luiz<\/a>\u00a0from Juventus, and it is also understood that\u00a0Juventus are ready to take a financial hit on Luiz<\/a>\u00a0this summer as well.<\/p>\n

However, other names have been linked in the media as well. The latest is that of 26-year-old Stade Brestois midfielder\u00a0Mahdi Camara being on the 49ers\u2019 radar for Leeds<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Valentin Atangana has emerged as another option for Leeds<\/a>\u00a0following Stade de Reims\u2019 relegation to Ligue 2 in France. They need to raise cash and the 19-year-old is one way to do that.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s likely to be others that emerge in the coming days, with Leeds spinning numerous plates in the market as they look to balance their squad and balance their finances in rebuilding it.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n