This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Half the price, and potentially half the headache.
Leeds might have just been handed a significant boost in their attempts to bring in some much-needed firepower.
According to reports in his native Algeria, Baghdad Bounedjah might be available for a lot less than the release clause in his contract would suggest.
Whilst his current clause stands at €15m (£12.9m), the report claims that his current club, Qatari side Al-Sadd aren’t against bringing that price down in order to get him off their books, with the club even going so far as to offer him up for half that fee.
As we have discussed previously on FFC, when the fee was closer to the €15m mark, Leeds would be taking an incredible risk by forking out that much money on one striker when they aren’t in the best of positions financially.
After all, Andrea Radrizzani has detailed how the club’s £40m wage bill isn’t sustainable going forward.
However, with his club now admitting that it wouldn’t take as much to get him off their books, then all of a sudden the deal becomes a little more manageable and intriguing.
With reports circulating that Leeds could soon be receiving a chunk of financial support from Qatar Sports Investment as well, and this has all the makings of a transfer that could end up going through, and not a moment too soon.
But that does depend on the investment due to Victor Orta previously claiming they didn’t have the means for a permanent transfer.
It’s no secret that Leeds are struggling in front of goal this season, with the team squandering as many as 12 points so far this season because of their failure to find the back of the net (via Experimental361).
Given his impressive goal return in the Middle East, bagging 97 in 78, he could certainly lend them a hand in that department, only this time the risk: reward ratio would be a lot more in their favour.
