CONFIRMED DEAL: Several reports this morning state that Leeds United has formally announced the signing of Watford fantastic Midfielder to a £18.8million contract in an unexpected transaction.

Club to make second bid for £18m Leeds signing before start of next week, player wants move

So far this summer, Leeds United have made two permanent sales in the form of Marc Roca and Archie Gray but it a third is on the horizon as a European club prepare a new offer.

Roca has rejoined Spanish side Real Betis on a permanent deal worth around £4m, while Gray completed a £40m move to Tottenham. A quarter of that figure has been spent on signing Joe Rodon permanently.

But that is not going to be the last permanent sale Leeds make this summer. The 49ers have been hard at work sorting out the future of Victor Orta’s loan army, with three still to be sorted during the window.

Permanent deals for Robin Koch and Luis Sinisterra had already been sorted, while Roca has joined them in going for good. Jack Harrison returns to Everton on loan, while Brendan Aaronson is back at Leeds.

The futures of Max Wober, Rasmus Kristensen and Diego Llorente is still under the microscope. Wober and Kristensen have been at Euro 2024, but both Austria and Denmark have now been knocked out.

Leeds rejected bid from Real Betis to sign Diego Llorente

Adam Pope reported this week that Roca’s Betis have tried to sign Llorente. But, that Leeds have rejected an offer for the Spain star, after it became clear a return to his loan side Roma was not going to happen.

A report from Spanish outlet Mucho Deporte sheds light on Betis, and Llorente’s stance following the bid rejected by Leeds. They say Llorente wanted a permanent move to Roma, but Roma wanted another loan.

That is why a move to Roma failed, and now Betis are keen even after the first offer was rejected. There is a confidence in a deal to take Llorente back to Spain four years after leaving to join Leeds for £18m.

Betis preparing second bid in the next few days for Llorente

The report states that Llorente is keen on a move to Betis and is on contact with a number of players at the La Liga side, with Roca likely to be one. A fee between £3.4m and £4.2m is required to sign Llorente.

Mucho Deporte say that Betis are preparing to return to Leeds with a second bid for Llorente before they return to pre-season training on Monday. Betis have Europa Conference League qualifiers to tend with.

They also take on Liverpool and Manchester United in pre-season friendlies and Manuel Pellegrini really needs a centre-back. It is expected then that Betis will make a new offer this week and a deal is done.