Player comments on €6m transfer to Leeds United this summer, taken aback by situation

 

Samu Saiz, Ezgjan Alioski, and Felix Wiedwald are all reportedly on the verge of a move to Leeds United, with two of those looking likelier.

Despite being the last of the three linked, Wiedwald could be the first to actually arrive at Leeds United, with Werder Bremen’s director of sport believing a transfer could be completed on Friday or Saturday.

The Spanish press have been full of assumption all week that Saiz is offto  Leeds for over €3m, and Lugano’s Alioski seems to be waiting to see who else comes in.

Another name was added to the list on Thursday, and that’s Filip Helander, a 24 year old central defender who, crucially, played for Malmo previously. The player’s links with Pontus Jansson seem to be pushing the links, which started in Italy.

The Italian version of Goal launched the story and it’s been carried on elsewhere in Italy, with the gist being that if a deal is going to be done, it has to be at around €6m.

Sweden’s excellent Fotbollskanalen spoke to the player about the Leeds United reports, and he sounded taken aback: “I don’t know. I don’t know anything. So, well, I have no comments. I’m not too familiar with it, but I’ve just been on vacation recently.

“I like Bologna and have been doing very well there. I had an injury filled season recently and I hope it’s an end to it now, I can be healthy and play next season.

On reuniting with Jansson, Helander said: “There is much speculation right now. I don’t know. It would have been fun to play for Malmo again, too, but I don’t do that either. I’m very happy in Bologna.”

Helander isn’t exactly jumping at the chance, and sounds gobsmacked about the Leeds claims, which would lead one to believe that, if there’s anything in these rumours, it’s come from Bologna’s side, and perhaps a willingness to sell if they can get that €6m.