Leeds United have made a late attempt to hijack Spanish club Eibar’s £3million bid to sign striker Samu Saiz, according to reports.
Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo claim that United are keen to land the forward, who plays for second-tier club Huesca, after he was identified by new director of football Victor Orta as a player to strengthen the club’s forward ranks.
It is said that the Championship club could make a last-ditch attempt to prevent Saiz, 26, from completing a move to Eibar, who finished 10th in La Liga last season.
Spanish publication Marca reported earlier this week that Real Madrid academy product Saiz had agreed to join Eibar for £2.6million and would sign a four-year contract by the end of this week.
The top-flight club could now face serious competition from Leeds, who have been strongly linked with a number of European players in the last 48 hours following the unveiling on Monday of new manager Thomas Christiansen.
Orta and Christiansen are working on refurbishing a United side that finished seventh in last season’s Championship after challenging strongly for promotion for much of the campaign.
Saiz, who can play in the playmaker, right-wing or central striker positions, was unable to make the breakthrough at Spanish giants Real but has carved out a decent career in the lower leagues.
He scored 12 goals and supplied eight assists in 40 league appearances for Huesca in the recently completed season as they finished sixth and in the play-off spots.
Saiz has just a year remaining on his contract and is expected to move to a new club this summer.