Leeds United are “locked” in advanced talks with Hull City ace Abel Hernandez, with his £40,000-a-week contract due to expire at the end of the month, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post.
The newspaper reports that Leeds have been in negotiations with the centre-forward’s agent for a month and have now tabled him a lucrative offer to ditch the KCOM Stadium and head to Elland Road on a free transfer.
It is understood that the Uruguay international’s deal with the Whites would more than likely include a release clause, however there is a chance that the swoop could hit a dead end, and if that is case, the Yorkshire giants have started thinking up contingency plans.
Good move for Leeds?
Hernandez was in prolific form for Hull last season, even though he spent a lot of his time sidelined with an Achilles injury.
He scored eight goals in 10 appearances for the Humberside club, and a lot of them came after his injury spell to prove that his time on the sidelines did not hamper his ability.
There’s a good chance that the ex-Palermo star will now become the top earner at Elland Road, and that may see some of the other players want pay rises – especially if the striker fails to deliver.
The release clause in his contract is not ideal, but it’s the only way to get a player of his calibre to join the club.
This is Futbol rating 9/10
Likely to happen?
Leeds are understood to believe they are in pole position, but they do not seem 100 per cent sure about it and are looking at other options if a deal goes pear-shaped.
Hernandez could easily attract Premier League interest being as he is available for free, so there’s a chance someone else could come in to offer him better terms.
This is Futbol rating 7/10