Leeds United and 49ers Enterprises are said to be interested in completing the signing of Celtic winger Sebastian Tounekti in the January transfer window.
The Whites suffered a humbling afternoon in their 3-0 defeat away to Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday, with Daniel Farke assessing a disappointing performance after the game.
“We don’t have to overanalyse this game. They were the better side today and deserve to win this game and for that, you have to say congratulations. I think there were a few key periods in this game. The first 10-15 minutes didn’t start brave and confident enough, we were hanging a little bit on the ropes, and in this period, they scored the goal.
“Brighton is a side who always wants to invite and wait until the opponent opens, and if you’re then one nil down in the away game, it’s difficult because you have to go a bit more for it. It was not our day today, there were a few key moments, and for that, we have to accept the loss. So we stay self-critical, but it’s also pretty quick to analyse, and individually as a team it was not our best performance today. For that, they deserve to win it.”
It was the type of afternoon that showed why Leeds should be eyeing new signings in January, in terms of adding quality and depth to their squad, aiding their Premier League survival hopes in the process.
Leeds want to sign Celtic attacker Tounekti in January
According to Maghreb Foot [via Sport Witness], Leeds are interested in signing Tounekti from Celtic in the January window, seeing him as a strong option to bring in. The 49ers, who also own Rangers, would also be getting one over a rival, should a deal go through.
The Whites have reportedly taken notice of his “outstanding performances” for the Hoops following his £5m transfer in the summer, not least the “impressive speed” that he possesses.
Tounekti could be an exciting signing for Leeds midway through the season, giving Farke the extra attacking unpredictability and firepower that he craves in his squad, being hailed by Brendan Rodgers earlier this year.
“He’s so good. He’s got a bit of everything – he can beat a man, go either way, slip runners in as well and it’s nice for him to get his goal.”
The 23-year-old has only managed six starts for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership this season – he hasn’t come on at all as a substitute – so a chance of regular football could appeal to him, too.
Tounekti is a player with the pace to scare defences, even if the step-up to the Premier League is great, and £5m in the modern game is far from expensive for a young player with the potential to grow into more of a force as the years pass, although it remains to be seen how much Celtic would demand.
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