Italian club Carpi are growing desperate in their on-going negotiations with Leeds United over centre-forward Jerry Mbakogu, according to Resto del Carlino.
The Italian newspaper claims in their print edition that Carpi want to offload Mbakogu, 25, to Leeds for a fee worth £3million so they can sign Federico Melchiorri from Cagliari on a permanent basis.
It is understood that Leeds are playing hardball in negotiations though and want less than the £3million that Carpi are demanding and that could lead to the deadline of June 30, which is now just 10 days away, from being missed for the striker to head to Elland Road.
Good move for Leeds?
Leeds should not be still trying to sign Mbakogu.
Marcelo Bielsa’s arrival has opened up a wealth of new, more attractive, options for the Whites to look into signing and they are better off breaking off talks with Capri as the Nigerian striker is simply not good enough.
In Serie B last season, he scored six goals in 26 games and barely managed to make it on the pitch between March and the end of the season.
Matej Vydra and Abel Hernandez are being continually linked to Elland Road, two strikers who are miles better than Mbakogu.
This is Futbol rating 1/10
Likely to happen?
Carpi are desperate and may be tempted to lower their asking fee, but even with that, Leeds’ reported hopes of signing Vydra or Hernandez will surely mean that there’s no point in going after Mbakogu.
For £3million, Leeds should want someone who has a decent goalscoring record in a respectable league.
The Nigerian striker is nowhere near good enough and they will surely pull the plug on this unless they can get him for way cheaper.
This is Futbol rating 3/10