Premier League side Leeds United are close to signing Barcelona left back Junior Firpo, club sources have told reliable ESPN and SPORT.
If no surprises pop up, Junior Firpo will sign for Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United. The operation has advanced quick and is expected to be signed and sealed in the next day or two. What remains to be agreed on is the transfer fee and the structure of the deal. If it’ll be an outright sale or a loan with a mandatory option to buy. SPORT say Barcelona expect to receive around 15 million euros for the left back.
Junior Firpo was also wanted by Southampton, Inter Milan and AC Milan. The player initially wanted to join the Serie A side, but new interest from Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds looks to have been convincing.
Junior Firpo joined Barcelona for 18 million euros, with that transfer fee potentially rising to 30 million in add-ons. In his two seasons in Catalunya, the player made 41 appearances for the team. He featured as a center-back in a back three, at wing back, left back and right back. However he never archived what he was brought in to do, challenge Jordi Alba.
Firpo’s best performance in a Barcelona shirt arguably came against PSG at the Parc de Princes in the 1-1 draw in last seasons Champions League Round of 16. On the night he played as a right sided centre back as a part of a back three, and looked very tidy and was never troubled by PSG’s star winger Kylian Mbappe.
