Fabrizio Romano confirms Leeds interest in Roma star with brilliant €22m signing imminent

Leeds United will imminently wrap up the signing of Jaka Bijol with the Udinese defender currently undergoing a medical in West Yorkshire ahead of a €22m move – and the central defender could be joined in West Yorkshire by a compatriot after Fabrizio Romano confirmed interest from Daniel Farke’s side.

The Whites are busy making additions to their squad ahead of their return to the Premier League and on Wednesday learned their fixture list for the upcoming 2025/26 season. The objective for Leeds United is a simple one: avoid the same instant return to the second tier that has befallen the last six sides promoted to the top flight.

Now a second deal is on the cusp of being finalised in the form of Udinese defender Bijol, with Leeds agreeing to pay a fee of €22m (£18.75m, $25.4m) for to ensure they were not scooped by AC Milan or Newcastle, both of whom who looked into a possible hijack for the transfer of the 63-times capped Slovenia defender.

And with personal terms already having been agreed, Leeds will shortly be in a position to present signing number two of the summer before their supporters, with an initial three-year deal for the 26-year-old expected to be signed.

Signing Bijol will immediately land Farke one of his major targets of the summer window, with the defender expected to slot into the side alongside Joe Rodon and with Pascal Struijk and Ethan Ampadu likely used as cover. Max Wober, however, has been cleared to leave.

The Whites will now set their focus on strengthening in three more positions to bolster their ranks – with a versatile full-back, a recently-relegated Premier League midfielder and a promising striker now very much in their sights.

However, according to Romano, Leeds are also positioning themselves in the mix to sign another Slovenian star in Lovro Golic.