Leeds midfield rebuild planned with £45m double deal ON after Aston Villa greenlight

Leeds United Eye Double Midfield Reinforcement as Buendia and Diarra Deals Gain Momentum

Leeds United are actively pursuing the addition of two midfielders to their ranks as their summer recruitment drive intensifies. With Premier League football on the horizon following their triumphant Championship-winning campaign, preparations are in full swing to strengthen the squad across multiple areas.

The club has been handed a potential boost in their pursuit of Emiliano Buendia after it emerged that Aston Villa are willing to offload the Argentine playmaker for a cut-price fee. Simultaneously, Leeds have received a strong indication that their chase for Strasbourg star Habib Diarra remains very much alive, following a significant update from the French club’s president.

Having already announced the arrival of Lukas Nmecha, formerly of Manchester City and Wolfsburg, on a free transfer, Leeds are set to unveil their second summer signing in Jaka Bijol, the towering Slovenian defender from Udinese. The 25-year-old centre-back has reportedly agreed to a three-year contract at Elland Road, with the deal worth approximately €22 million (£17.8m).

However, manager Daniel Farke and sporting director Adam Underwood are wasting no time in reshaping the squad further. The duo have now been given the green light to press ahead with two midfield additions—moves that could have a transformative effect on Leeds’ setup heading into the 2025/26 Premier League season.

Buendia Deal Within Reach

The first midfield target, Emiliano Buendia, has long been admired by Farke. The 28-year-old, who previously starred under the German at Norwich City, was on loan at Bayer Leverkusen during the latter half of last season. Despite showing glimpses of his quality, the Bundesliga side opted against making his move permanent, even after the departure of star man Florian Wirtz in a record transfer.

Buendia now finds himself surplus to requirements at Villa Park. According to Caught Offside, Unai Emery has made it clear the creative midfielder will not feature in his future plans. As a result, Villa are prepared to accept offers in the region of £20 million, and Leeds are believed to be at the front of the queue.

Seen as a potential upgrade on Brenden Aaronson in the No.10 role, Buendia’s creativity, vision, and Premier League experience could provide a much-needed boost to Leeds’ attacking play.

Diarra Exit Confirmed by Strasbourg President

In addition to Buendia, Leeds are also targeting Habib Diarra, a highly regarded box-to-box midfielder who has made waves in Ligue 1 and on the international stage. The Senegal international recently grabbed headlines by scoring in Senegal’s historic 3-1 victory over England at the City Ground, further enhancing his reputation.

Although Leeds previously saw a £21 million (€24.5m) bid rejected, a recent update from Strasbourg president Marc Keller suggests that a deal remains very much alive. Speaking on RMC Sport, Keller revealed that Diarra had been promised an opportunity to leave this summer if a suitable offer arrived.

> “There’s one player who’s due to leave based on a promise I made to him two years ago: our captain, Habib Diarra,” Keller said. “When he extended his contract, we told him he wouldn’t leave until June 2025. So if we get an interesting offer for him and for us, he could leave.”

It’s believed that Strasbourg will accept a bid in the region of £25 million (€29m), and with other Premier League clubs such as Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa circling, Leeds may need to act swiftly to secure their man.

More Deals on the Horizon

Beyond Buendia and Diarra, Leeds continue to be active in the market. Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the club’s interest in a promising Roma youngster, believed to be close to leaving the Serie A outfit. This would mark a third Slovenian international to join the club, should a deal materialize.

Additionally, Leeds have been linked with a number of potential targets in recent days, including Max Aarons, Mateus Fernandes, and Rodrigo Muniz. The latter, in particular, has emerged as a genuine target for the Whites, with Fulham demanding a substantial fee for the Brazilian striker.

Transfer correspondent Fraser Fletcher has validated Leeds’ interest in Muniz, while also hinting that the club have identified two other attacking options as possible alternatives if negotiations stall.

A Summer of Ambition at Elland Road

With a clear focus on building a competitive and deep squad, Leeds United’s recruitment team are showing ambition in the transfer market. The addition of creative force Buendia and dynamic powerhouse Diarra would provide a significant midfield upgrade, while the defensive reinforcement of Bijol adds steel to the backline.

If Leeds can wrap up their midfield targets in the coming weeks, supporters will be hopeful that the club can not only survive in the Premier League but thrive in it.