Norwich’s Gabriel Sara Poised for £20m Move as Leeds United’s Pursuit Takes Unexpected Turn
The newspaper reported on 4 August (page 70) that the 25-year-old Brazilian is set to travel to Turkey to join Galatasaray in a deal worth nearly £20 million.
Crystal Palace and Leeds United had also shown interest in the attacker, but Galatasaray, a Champions League team, is on the brink of finalizing the transfer.
Leeds United could not match £20m deal
Despite Leeds making at least £25 million from the sale of Crysencio Summerville to West Ham [BBC Sport], it was unlikely that they would spend most of that amount on a single player.
Additionally, while Leeds is a significant club with a storied history, that appeal does not necessarily outweigh the chance to play in the Champions League for a Brazilian footballer.
This development is disappointing for Leeds, as Sara is a talented player, but it’s not surprising that he’s heading to a different club this summer.
Leeds now face the challenge of finding a replacement for Summerville. He was a young talent brought in by Victor Orta and developed under Marcelo Bielsa and Daniel Farke into a key attacker.
Finding a ready-made replacement for Summerville will not be easy, and it’s unlikely that Leeds will sign someone for over £10 million, given their focus on managing their financial resources.
