Leeds United have already shown perfect response to Igor Paixão transfer blow with £32m statement — YEP 29/7/25

By Kyle Newbould

Leeds United have missed out on a top transfer target in Igor Paixão but it’s not the first time this summer - and the reaction to last time was impressive.

The transfer saga will soon be over but it’s not the outcome Leeds United wanted.

Igor Paixão is expected to be a Marseille player next season after the French club agreed a deal with Feyenoord. An initial £28m will match their transfer record and any add-ons will break it, with hope inside Elland Road of a statement signing dashed.

The YEP reported earlier this month on meetings between Leeds and Paixão’s representatives, meetings in which Elland Road chiefs hoped to sell their project. They showed videos of last season’s incredible celebrations and pointed to the trajectory of fellow Brazilian Raphinha as an example of how well things can go.

But if reports from France are to be believed, Paixão always wanted Marseille and their spot in next season’s Champions League might explain why. Roberto De Zerbi’s side finished second only to Paris Saint-German last season while Leeds remain among the favourites to be relegated from the Premier League.

Leeds obviously wanted Paixão. They waited patiently as Marseille saw two bids rejected and were ready to push the £30m barrier for him, despite an injury that could keep him out until September. They eventually fell short to the pull of European football, but it’s not Paixão or bust.

No well-run recruitment team has one option for a position and one option only, with scenarios like the above playing out regularly for clubs at all levels. There is always someone able to offer what you cannot, be it Champions League football, top-flight security or a chunkier pay packet.

Sunderland were willing to offer what Leeds were not when it came to Habib Diarra, their £30m bid going above and beyond the £22m Elland Road chiefs put forward. The exciting Senegal international signed a five-year contract at the Stadium of Light and Daniel Farke missed out on a top midfield target.

Leeds United have reacted well to previous transfer blows

That Noah Sadiki soon followed Diarra to Wearside raised questions as to why two known targets in a key position had joined a Premier League relegation rival, with Sunderland happy to stump up a combined £47m for the pair. But days before Sadiki’s move was confirmed, the YEP reported on interest in Anton Stach.

The 6ft 4ins midfielder was identified as a prime target to improve Farke’s midfield and after slightly drawn out negotiations with Hoffenheim, Leeds got their man. His arrival completed a £32m midfield rebuild which also included long-time target Sean Longstaff, the pair adding physicality, technical quality and experience.

Which midfield pair Leeds would have signed in an ideal world remains to be seen but after seeing Sadiki and Diarra join Sunderland, Leeds moved on and few would argue against Longstaff and Stach being strong additions. Indeed the latter pair were right up there atop the list of targets- the task is now to do that further forward.

Leeds are believed to have alternative options at the same or similar level to Paixão, and the Athletic reported last week on interest in Diarra’s former Strasbourg teammate Dilane Bakwa. The 22-year-old registered six goals and eight assists in 30 Ligue 1 appearances last season and is another exciting one-v-one wide man.

Brazilian wingers from the continent have a certain appeal to Leeds fans for obvious reasons, and to miss out on Paixão is undoubtedly a blow. But other difference-makers exist and will be on the radar. Only time will tell if they can move on as quickly as they did in midfield.