Leeds United 'in pole position' to land Juventus striker & will offer 'big wages'

Leeds United remain favourites to secure the signing of Juventus striker Lois Openda this summer, despite Coventry City joining the race, Football Insider reports.

The West Yorkshire side are considered better placed to complete what will likely be a “very expensive” deal during the upcoming transfer window, with a loan-to-buy agreement currently their preferred route forward to bring the forward to the Premier League.

Juventus are looking to offload the 26-year-old after a difficult spell in Italy, and sources have indicated that Leeds are prepared to make a significant financial commitment and hand “big wages” to the former RB Leipzig man. Openda has made 37 appearances for Juventus this season, scoring just two goals.

Openda arrived at Juventus with big expectations when they signed him on loan from RB Leipzig last summer, but he hasn’t lived up to those at all so far.

The Belgian’s move to Turin is about to become permanent as part of a pre-agreed clause, with the Italian giants set to shell out a fee in the region of £35 million. Despite the permanent activation, the club hierarchy is already looking for an exit strategy for the attacker.

Luciano Spalletti and Co. have already decided that they want to try to move the frontman on immediately ahead of next season. Openda has been a far cry from the player who notched 41 goals and 14 assists across 90 appearances during his two years with Leipzig, and that has left his future at Juventus uncertain as a result.

Leeds’ transfer plans have seen a new striker identified as a top priority in recent months, and they are determined to get a move for Openda over the line.

The club is looking to provide high-quality goalscoring support for Dominic Calvert-Lewin at the top of the pitch to ensure they can push further up the table next term. While Coventry are also showing a strong interest, it is clear that they are firmly behind the Whites in the pecking order at the moment.

The Elland Road recruitment team believes that Openda's previous record in the Bundesliga proves his inherent quality, despite his struggles to adapt to the tactical rigours of Serie A. Farke is reportedly a fan of the striker's movement and versatility, believing he can rediscover his best form within the more expansive style of play utilised in the Premier League.

Football Insider revealed back in April that Leeds are hoping for a reduced price on Openda this summer as part of a potential loan-to-buy swoop. Juventus are holding out to try to recoup as much of their £35m outlay as possible for the striker, but the Whites have made it clear that they are not willing to go that high with their efforts. The negotiations are expected to center on the final valuation of the purchase clause included in the deal.

They are also hoping to delay the option of a purchase until later down the line, as they are looking to spread their budget across multiple new additions ahead of next term.