Poland midfielder Klich is set to join Leeds in £1.5m switch
LEEDS UNITED were last night closing in on their first new signing of the summer after agreeing a deal for FC Twente midfielder Mateusz Klich.
Klich is believed to have had a medical with the Elland Road club after arriving in Leeds from Krakow yesterday morning.
United are prepared to meet Twente’s asking price for the Poland international, who will join ahead of the start of pre-season training.
Klich has held a prominent place on United’s list of targets and they will now look to complete further deals following the appointment of Thomas Christiansen as their new head last week.
Former Wolfsburg player Klich – a creative midfielder who has made 10 appearances for his country – still has two years of a three-year deal at Twente to run.
He was a regular in Twente’s starting line-up last season, helping them finish seventh in the Eredivisie table with eight goals and six assists. The 27-year-old is expected to command a fee in the region of £1.5m.
Leeds will start work under Christiansen and his new backroom team at Thorp Arch on Monday; their first game of the Championship season is on August 6.
Burnley look increasingly likely to win the battle to sign Charlie Taylor following West Bromwich Albion’s failure to agree a fee for the Leeds defender.
Albion are understood to be willing to pay around £5m, but United believe they could earn a higher sum if a decision on compensation is set by a tribunal.
Taylor is out of contract at Elland Road, but under the age of 24, entitling Leeds to a fee from any club who sign him.
Burnley, who are also being linked with Hull City’s Andrew Robertson, are keen on taking Taylor and would meet his wage demands, but want to secure a private deal with Leeds. ROTHERHAM UNITED are targeting further moves for Christian Doidge and Jamie Proctor following the capture of ex-Fleetwood forward David Ball.
The 27-year-old, who scored 14 times for Fleetwood last term, has signed a two-year deal with the Millers after rejecting fresh terms with the Lancashire outfit.
With manager Paul Warne primarily viewing Ball as a “No 10”, the Millers are still pursuing several other central striking options.
Chief among them is Forest Green’s Doidge, 24, a player who has been on Warne’s radar for some time after firing 27 goals to help the Gloucestershire outfit reach the Football League last term, with the Millers chief pondering his next move after seeing an initial offer rebuffed.
Another high on the list is Bolton striker Proctor, with the ex-Bradford City player surplus to requirements at the Macron Stadium and also interesting Doncaster Rovers.
On Doidge, Warne, also targeting a right-back alongside two strikers with last season’s top-scorer Danny Ward set to move to Cardiff City in the coming days, said: “We put an offer in for him, which got turned down. We are still in the process of deciding our next move.
“I do like him, but I don’t know which way it is going to go. We are still pursuing it.”
On his interest in Proctor, 25, he added: “I like an out-and-out ‘nine’, someone who can hold up the ball. He is athletic, and he brings other players into the game. He is one on my list to try to get.
“He is not the only one on there. I would like to think I would get another striker in within the next few days.”
Ball is the Millers’ fourth close-season recruit following the signings of defender Michael Ihiekwe, midfielder Darren Potter and winger Ryan Williams.