Last Wednesday, the claims on Ryan Nolan and Facundo Colidio moving to Leeds United hit their peak.
The two young Inter Milan players were on the verge of transfers to Elland Road, with the Italian media explaining that white smoke was on the way.
The start of deadline day was rather quiet, hour after hour came and went, and there were no updates on where the transfers stood. Given the nature of the deals, at that point it wouldn’t have been so surprising to see them announced a while after the window had closed.
Then it was all torn to shreds.
FC Inter News reported the deals were seriously wobbling. Nolan wasn’t impressed when the Championship club told him he’d be loaned to Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership, and that killed the chances of him moving.
For Colidio, Leeds United weren’t able to agree on a transfer fee, believing Inter’s demand for €6m was over the top.
Now the 19 year old striker has popped up elsewhere. Monday’s edition of Het Belang van Limburg explains he’s expected to sign for Sint-Truiden on loan this week.That’s a deal Leeds would likely have considered themselves, but Inter probably thought they could get a big chunk of money from the English market, and have now had to settle for the loan to STVV.
Given Colidio was said to be keen to work with Marcelo Bielsa, that he’s now set to join STVV obviously isn’t quite as exciting.
A frustrating situation for all involved, apart from the Belgian club.
