Leeds United made an attempt to sign Anatoliy Trubin in the summer before eventually bringing in James Trafford.
The Whites needed a goalkeeper and clearly had several options on their list. Trubin was apparently one of them, and Leeds went far enough to make an offer.
Benfica turned them down because they thought they had something better coming from Juventus. But that decision hasn’t exactly worked out as planned.
Leeds United offer turned down
Ukrainian journalist Mykhailo Spivakovskyi discussed Trubin’s situation on TaToTake. His information has also been picked up by A Bola in Portugal.
He says Leeds were among the Premier League options available to the 25-year-old during the summer window. The Yorkshire club showed formal interest and made an offer, but Benfica rejected it.
At the time, the Portuguese side expected Trubin to end up at Juventus. They believed that route could bring them between €30m (£26m) and €40m (£34.7m).
That move never happened. Leeds, meanwhile, eventually solved their goalkeeper search by signing Trafford.
Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur were linked with Trubin during most of the summer. But Leeds’ interest appears to have gone further, with an actual offer reaching Benfica.
The Portuguese club’s confidence over Juventus seemingly stopped that avenue going anywhere.
Benfica decision hasn’t paid off
There is a slightly awkward ending to all of this for Benfica. Trubin stayed in Lisbon and has since lost his place in the team. His situation is now causing plenty of debate back in Ukraine – and in Portugal of course.
Spivakovskyi also says Benfica have offered him a new contract – on lower wages than he currently earns. Trubin joined from Shakhtar Donetsk for €10m (£8.7m) in 2023. His contract situation at the Ukrainian club allowed him to negotiate a particularly high salary when moving to Portugal.
Benfica are now looking to reduce that burden, either through a transfer or by convincing him to accept lower wages.
So, after rejecting Leeds and waiting for Juventus to provide a bigger payday, Benfica are left with Trubin on the bench and apparently trying to cut his salary.
Leeds United won’t be losing too much sleep over it. They needed a goalkeeper, moved on and ultimately got Trafford.
Still, this gives a clearer picture of their summer search. Trubin was another serious option, and Benfica may now wish they’d been a little more receptive when Leeds came calling.
