“Done Deal Blow: Leeds United’s £17m Midfield Target Snubs Farke and Agrees Roma Move!”

Roma Beat Leeds to El Aynaoui Signing as Frustrations Mount for Farke

Leeds United’s summer transfer woes have deepened, with Neil El Aynaoui becoming the latest midfield target to turn down a move to Elland Road in favour of another club.

The 24-year-old RC Lens midfielder, who had emerged as a key alternative to Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff, is now reportedly on the verge of joining AS Roma. According to Foot Sur, El Aynaoui has “agreed to join the Italian giants after advanced talks in recent days”, though negotiations between the clubs continue, with Lens said to be “demanding more than €20million”, or approximately £17.3million.

While Roma still need to finalise the agreement with Lens, the player’s willingness to make the move has left Leeds United facing another frustrating blow in a transfer window that has already seen several targets slip away.

Daniel Farke’s side have missed out on multiple names in recent weeks, with Premier League rivals Sunderland snapping up a number of players Leeds had on their radar. Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, and Reinildo Mandava have all opted for a move to the Stadium of Light, and Sunderland are now rivalling Leeds in the chase for Jeremie Boga. Leeds have reportedly lodged a £13million bid for the former Chelsea winger.

So far, Leeds have made four signings this summer, including the recent addition of Gabriel Gudmundsson, but the club’s midfield rebuild remains a top priority. With Tyler Adams having departed and other key roles still unfilled, the failure to secure either Longstaff or El Aynaoui is cause for concern.

Farke had identified Longstaff as a leading option to fill the midfield void. But Newcastle have rejected three separate bids for the 26-year-old, despite interest from Leeds and mounting frustration from sections of the Newcastle fanbase who believe Longstaff should be allowed to leave to secure regular playing time.

Now, with El Aynaoui appearing to be out of reach as well, Leeds must once again return to the drawing board. The Moroccan international, who impressed with his box-to-box energy and composure at Lens, was seen as a key alternative to Longstaff, offering the versatility Farke craves in the middle of the park.

Foot Sur also notes that El Aynaoui “is now the subject of internal discussions regarding a contract extension and a salary” at Lens, although Roma are continuing talks in the hope of concluding a deal swiftly.

This latest setback underscores the challenges Leeds are facing in this summer’s transfer market. While the club has been active, competition from both Premier League and European sides is proving fierce, and time is ticking with pre-season preparations already underway.

Despite the frustrations, it’s understood that Leeds’ recruitment team are working through a long list of targets to strengthen the squad ahead of the Championship campaign. With the club aiming for a return to the top flight, decisive transfer activity in the coming weeks will be crucial.