Japan international midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi is most likely to be the next Leeds United signing, according to Football Whispers.
Leeds massively revamped their squad this summer as they brought in 16 new arrivals led by headline arrivals Samuel Saiz, Pierre-Michel Lasogga and Ezgjan Alioski.
Manager Thomas Christiansen and director of football Victor Orta are likely to target more new signings when the winter window opens in January.
Football Whispers, which gathers all transfer rumours across the globe and calculates the likelihood of them happening, rates it 3.1 out of 5 that Gamba Osaka central midfielder Ideguchi, 21, will join Leeds, with five the highest possible ranking and meaning it is a certainty.
The four-times international is ahead in the ratings of Newcastle striker Dwight Gayle who has a rating of 1.8, and Liverpool forward Danny Ings, who is rated at 1.4 to transfer to Elland Road.
Good move for Leeds?
Any Leeds fan who will have watched the video clip of Ideguchi’s sensational goal for Japan in their World Cup qualifier win against Australia at the end of last month will be excited about the potential of a rising star of Asian football. A central midfielder who creates and scores goals, Ideguchi clearly has pedigree and a reported release clause of £700,000 is an absolute bargain for an ambitious Championship club. However, it is a deal that should be approached with a degree of trepidation. Japanese players have a mixed record in English football. For every Shinji Okazaki, there is a Shinji Kagawa, who was regarded as a massive coup when signed by Manchester United but could barely get out of first gear.
This Is Futbol rating: 6/10
Likely to happen?
Yes. Reports from Japan have said the deal is “highly likely”, with Gamba Osaka chairman Takashi Yamauchi going public to confirm that Leeds will “definitely” table a bid for Ideguchi. Moreover, Orta has admitted that United are working on signing a player from Asia. It appears that it is only a matter of time before Ideguchi is a Leeds player.
This Is Futbol rating: 9/10