Leeds United’s pursuit of Hidemasa Morita may not be moving as quickly as some reports previously suggested, with fresh claims from Portugal indicating the midfielder is still waiting for a breakthrough in talks.
For much of the spring, Portuguese coverage increasingly presented Morita’s move to Elland Road as a certainty.
There were reports of a contract offer, claims the player only wanted Premier League football, and even suggestions in some newspapers that he would simply be joining Leeds once survival was secured.
That has not happened yet.
Leeds talks slowing down
According to A Bola, Morita remains without a club despite leaving Sporting at the end of his contract.
The 31-year-old is currently on holiday and assessing his options. Leeds are still very much part of the picture and remain the destination he has been working towards for some time.
However, the report claims negotiations have been slow to progress in recent days, with discussions yet to take the decisive step towards an agreement.
That detail is notable because it differs from some of the more confident reporting seen in Portugal over recent weeks.
Rather than presenting the move as virtually complete, A Bola now describe a degree of uncertainty around the process.
French clubs waiting in background
The delay has reportedly created an opportunity for other clubs to position themselves.
A Bola claim three Ligue 1 sides are monitoring developments closely: Marseille, Monaco and Lyon.
None are described as being in advanced negotiations. Instead, they are waiting to see whether Leeds can turn long-standing interest into a completed deal.
The message from Portugal is that if talks with Leeds continue to drag on, those clubs could look to make their own move.
Leeds still hold key advantage
Despite the renewed competition, the central theme of the story has not changed.
Morita has wanted a move to England for a long time. Premier League football was repeatedly described as his priority during the final stages of his Sporting career, and Leeds have been linked with him for well over a year.
That gives Daniel Farke’s side an advantage others may struggle to match.
Still, this latest report is a reminder that free agents rarely stay available forever. Morita is attracting attention because of his experience, versatility and strong record at Sporting, where he finished with 166 appearances, 11 goals and 17 assists.
The difference for Leeds now is that Portugal is no longer presenting the transfer as a done deal. Instead, the expectation is that Leeds need to make a decision soon – before clubs from France decide to act.
