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Leeds United’s Victor Orta breaks silence on ongoing transfer saga

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Leeds United director of football Victor Orta has commented on the club’s failure to sign Cody Gakpo from PSV in the summer window.

As we look ahead to an international break this weekend, there is no club action for Leeds fans to enjoy.

Poland take on the Netherlands tonight and Mateusz Klich might just get a first-hand view of what Leeds missed out on as PSV’s Cody Gakpo looks set to feature for Louis van Gaal’s side.

Leeds were looking to bring in an attacker late in the transfer window, and their attention turned to PSV star Gakpo, after an electrifying start to the season only cemented their appreciation of the wide man.

It culminated in Victor Orta flying to Eindhoven in an attempt to persuade the Holland international into a move to Elland Road, including a reported €45million offer, but the 23-year-old stayed put.

He has since shown everyone what a talent he is with 10 goals and nine assists in 13 games this season for his club, while Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani has confirmed previously that the club are aiming to try again in January for his signature.

Now, Orta has opened up on the club’s attempts to sign Gakpo, where he had this to say in an interview with The Telegraph:

“We also tried with Cody Gakpo. I respect his decision not to come to Leeds. And I also put myself in the shoes of PSV and I understand they couldn’t find a replacement at the last minute. We couldn’t reach an agreement for Bamba Dieng either. In the end we decided on Wilfried Gnoto, who I think is going to surprise.”

Should Gnonto go straight into the first-team?

Yes

Yes

No

No

You saw from our unwillingness to sell Jack Harrison to Newcastle United that leaving it that late means the selling club is even less likely to part ways.

That said, this revelation is more proof that we left it far too late to go for such a player, because it was nigh on impossible.

Had we moved earlier in the summer, there not only would have been more chance of it happening, but we could have moved to other targets easier.

I think the ship has sailed with Gakpo, because he is going to surely be tempting the elite clubs very soon.

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Leeds United season ticket holder since 2013/14, currently situated in the middle of the FA5 noise. From Pablo Hernandez to 5-1 drubbings, I've seen it all at Elland Road.