Leeds United have backed away from their pursuit of Bournemouth forward Lewis Grabban, according to Sun reporter Alan Nixon.
The reliable journalist has claimed via his personal Twitter account that Derby’s Matej Vydra is costing more than Leeds initially thought he would, so they have put a hold on any interest in Grabban, who was prolific in front of goal last season as he scored 20 times in the Championship across loan spells at Sunderland and Aston Villa.
Nixon claimed last month that the Yorkshire giants wanted to sign both Vydra and Grabban, but now it appears that Derby are making the Whites spend more than they were hoping for the Czech Republic international.
OPINION
It was always going to be a bit of a stretch for Leeds to sign both Vydra and Grabban. Between them last season they scored a stunning 42 goals across all competitions and bringing in those kinds of players is certainly going to come at a price. This is still an exciting time to be a Leeds fan though as it is clear that director of football Victor Orta is looking to sign players who are proven in the Championship. Grabban and Vydra couldn’t be more proven in England’s second-tier and one, if not both, of them is bound to shine at Elland Road. Vydra currently seems to most likely one to head to Yorkshire, and that may be down the Derby’s issues with Financial Fair Play. They need to balance the books and they could get a good fee for Vydra. It’s a good deal for all parties really but it does open up one of Leeds’ Championship rivals to swoop in for Grabban while they have backed out.