Agent blamed as Sorensen Leeds deal collapses
Yorkshire Post 8/8/14
Leeds United’s attempt to sign Juventus defender Frederik Sorensen collapsed tonight as a fall-out between the club and the player’s agent prompted Leeds to abandon the move.
United pulled out of talks late yesterday evening after 48 hours of fraught negotiations with Sorensen’s representative failed to force the transfer through.
Leeds had lined up a deal to to take the Danish centre-back on a year-long loan from Juventus and negotiated the option to sign him permanently next summer.
United owner Massimo Cellino claimed the signing was sealed on Wednesday afternoon, saying Leeds would pay a loan fee of around £400,000 and a further £3m in 12 months’ time, but problems developed after another round of talks between the Elland Road club and Sorensen’s agent on Thursday.
Sorensen was absent from United’s final training sessions ahead of the first game of the new season at Millwall today and did not make the trip to London with the rest of the club’s squad yesterday afternoon but both sides remained hopeful of reaching a deal prior to the weekend.
The failure of last-minute discussions, however, came as a significant set-back to Leeds and left Cellino in urgent need of a new central defenders with the Championship term already upon him.
Leeds, who have already failed with approaches for Chesterfield’s Liam Cooper and Catania defender Giuseppe Bellusci, are entering the campaign with only two senior centre-backs - Jason Pearce and Scott Wootton - with young professional Ross Killock in reserve.
The collapse of Sorensen’s move occurred less than a week after a proposed deal for Roma’s Federico Viviani fell through in similar fashion.
Viviani spent a fortnight in negotiations with Leeds and Cellino again announced that the deal had gone through before later conceding defeat in his attempt to bring the 22-year-old midfielder to Elland Road.
United’s tally of summer signings stands at seven with the FIFA transfer window due to close at 1pm on September 1.
Leeds United’s attempt to sign Juventus defender Frederik Sorensen collapsed tonight as a fall-out between the club and the player’s agent prompted Leeds to abandon the move.
United pulled out of talks late yesterday evening after 48 hours of fraught negotiations with Sorensen’s representative failed to force the transfer through.
Leeds had lined up a deal to to take the Danish centre-back on a year-long loan from Juventus and negotiated the option to sign him permanently next summer.
United owner Massimo Cellino claimed the signing was sealed on Wednesday afternoon, saying Leeds would pay a loan fee of around £400,000 and a further £3m in 12 months’ time, but problems developed after another round of talks between the Elland Road club and Sorensen’s agent on Thursday.
Sorensen was absent from United’s final training sessions ahead of the first game of the new season at Millwall today and did not make the trip to London with the rest of the club’s squad yesterday afternoon but both sides remained hopeful of reaching a deal prior to the weekend.
The failure of last-minute discussions, however, came as a significant set-back to Leeds and left Cellino in urgent need of a new central defenders with the Championship term already upon him.
Leeds, who have already failed with approaches for Chesterfield’s Liam Cooper and Catania defender Giuseppe Bellusci, are entering the campaign with only two senior centre-backs - Jason Pearce and Scott Wootton - with young professional Ross Killock in reserve.
The collapse of Sorensen’s move occurred less than a week after a proposed deal for Roma’s Federico Viviani fell through in similar fashion.
Viviani spent a fortnight in negotiations with Leeds and Cellino again announced that the deal had gone through before later conceding defeat in his attempt to bring the 22-year-old midfielder to Elland Road.
United’s tally of summer signings stands at seven with the FIFA transfer window due to close at 1pm on September 1.