Leeds United have endured a slow but steady start to the summer transfer window with two new faces through the door at Elland Road.

The Whites fended off serious competition to snap up Harry Wilson as a free agent and coughed up £34 million for Sassuolo defender Tarik Muharemovic.

Daniel Farke’s side conceded 56 goals in the Premier League last season, with only the bottom four sides more porous at the back. Muharemovic will look to add stability at the heart of defence but, with Pascal Struijk joining Brighton, Leeds United are expected to add another defender to the squad.

Udinese star Oumar Solet appeared to be that man with a £20 million move making progress, but that switch from the Serie A has now hit a snag.

Leeds United ‘withhold’ interest in Oumar Solet

Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb report that Leeds United have ‘withheld’ interest in Solet due to a knee injury, having never actually made a formal offer for the 26-year-old.

Inter Milan and Como have also both dropped interest, in a blow to the player. Napoli are the only club known to have made an official enquiry, but it remains to be seen whether they are still chasing a deal.

The Whites uncovered the player’s chequered injury history even before a medical had been booked. Solet tore his anterior cruciate ligament during the 2019/20 season and, as is often the case, has not been the same since.

A meniscus tear followed in the 2021/22 season and knee niggles sidelined the defender for a month in 2023/24. Since then, Solet has been fit, but Leeds United are clearly unconvinced by the player’s ability to withstand the physicality of the Premier League.

James Trafford set to be next Elland Road arrival

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It’s a nightmare situation for Udinese, who are in desperate need of shifting some of the eight defenders currently on the wage books – the opposite of the Yorkshire outfit, who had just three centre-backs prior to the arrival of Muharemovic.

Before another defender is added, it seems likely that the third Leeds United summer signing will be a goalkeeper. The Whites have now agreed personal terms with number one shot-stopper target James Trafford.

The Manchester City man has had no shortage of suitors, having struggled for gametime at the Etihad Stadium, but has made a move to work under Daniel Farke his preference. That deal is expected to be completed in the ‘coming days’ with Leeds United believed to be willing to match the player’s current lofty £100,000 a-week wages.

Liverpool have suffered their second major transfer disappointment of the summer after another winger has chosen to join another club over them, following Yan Diomande’s decision previously.

Liverpool and new manager Andoni Iraola are desperate to add new players to a squad which ultimately underperformed last season, but so far the only new arrival has been winger Victor Munoz.

Jeremy Jacquet has also arrived at Anfield from Rennes, although that deal was agreed during the January transfer window.

The Reds’ main focus remains on signing a top-class replacement for Mohamed Salah following his exit this summer, but they have so far failed to make any progress in doing so.

The Merseyside outfit had identified RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande as their number one target to replace the Egyptian early in the summer, but the talented teenager quickly decided he’d rather join Paris Saint-Germain instead.

PSG were unable to reach an agreement with the Bundesliga outfit however, and they have now dropped out of the race, with Real Madrid set to win the fierce race for his signature.

Liverpool have held preliminary talks over a move for PSG’s Bradley Barcola, according to GIVEMESPORT sources, but they have been left disappointed by their pursuit of another French forward.

Maghnes Akliouche Only Wants PSG

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Sensational Monaco winger Maghnes Akliouche is another France international attacker attracting plenty of interest this summer, with suitors in the Premier League as well as the frontrunners for his signature, PSG.

According to Foot Mercato, the 24-year-old only wants to join the Champions League holders despite strong interest from Liverpool, as they look to add another player to their forward line.

The report says that even though the Reds are willing to make a bigger offer to prise the Frenchman away from Monaco, his heart is set on joining PSG.

Talks between the two clubs are continuing, with added emphasis for the Ligue 1 champions on getting a deal over the line after their move for Diomande collapsed.

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Ironically, Liverpool losing out to PSG for Akliouche could actually benefit them in their bid to land a forward from the French club this summer.

Their interest in Barcola is well known and with the player having no intention of signing a new deal at the Parc des Princes, the likelihood of him leaving in this window has increased.

PSG’s reported £145m price tag will be an issue though, and Liverpool will know that they will need to be at their best at the negotiating table to agree a deal that suits them.

Barcola isn’t the only PSG forward the Reds are looking at, with claims on Sunday that they have also launched an enquiry over a potential deal for 18-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye.

The teenager is much less experienced than Barcola, but he has impressed in more than 40 first-team outings for the team from the French capital, while the youngster announced himself on the global stage with a goal for Senegal at the 2026 World Cup.

PSG are said to be willing to listen to offers worth in excess of €50m for the wonderkid.

Neymar has furiously denied reports that he tore into young players in the Santos ranks at halftime during their 2-2 draw against Chapecoense.

The Brazilian superstar returned to club action following his retirement from international football after Brazil‘s exit to Norway at the World Cup but has found himself in the midst of a club controversy.

He has since hit back on social media, branding the media accounts “malicious lies” and insisting he called out the entire team collectively, rather than any individuals.

What Neymar Has Been Accused of

Santos player Neymar via REUTERS/Thiago Bernardes

Brazil outlet Globe Esporte claimed Neymar vented his anger at two younger teammates at halftime. Allegedly, he called Gabriel Bontempo an “idiot” and suggested he would be playing for Chapoeconse next season at the bottom of the table.

The report also claimed he criticised and questioned the technical ability of João Ananias, who scored an own goal in the second half.

According to the report, the situation has caused widespread displeasure among the players, the coaching staff and even members of the board.

Neymar’s Fiery Instagram Response

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The situation caused Neymar to issue a swift response, via an Instagram video on his account, where he said:

He continued as he called out the “lies”, saying: “From now on, I will not accept those lies you post on the internet. A rebuke in the dressing room, regardless of who is doing it, is a normal thing.

“Those who publish these malicious and false reports understand nothing, they do not know what football is and have never been part of a team.”

A Stormy Afternoon on and off the Pitch

The row overshadowed what had been an individual display that harkened back to his earlier days. Having scored twice to drag Santos back to a point, he also courted controversy with a bizarre celebration after an early opener — miming a game of poker to hit back at critics of his poker exploits before racing to the corner flag and swinging it like a golf club.

The former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona star was later booked for shoving two opponents, a yellow that rules him out of the next match through accumulation.

This episode is the latest flashpoint in a turbulent second stint at his boyhood club. Now 34, Neymar returned to Santos in 2025 and helped them survive relegation, but the team remain struggling in the bottom half this season.

It was his first appearance since returning from the World Cup, where he featured only briefly and rounded off his 130th cap — his final in the famous yellow shirt — with a late penalty as Brazil and Neymar bowed out.