Zlatan Ibrahimovic – tempted by Elland Road but forced to settle for the San Siro
News has emerged that Leeds United held “concrete” talks with Zlatan Ibrahimovic during the January transfer window, with a view to bringing the prolific Swede to Elland Road for the run-in to a possible Premier League promotion. In the end, Zlatan settled for a less challenging option, moving to ply his trade in Serie A with AC Milan, but the important aspect of this remarkable story is what it reveals about the ambition being displayed by Leeds under the ownership of Andrea Radrizzani.
The January window was reasonably fruitful for United in the end, with the loan signing of Jean-Kevin Augustin, whose potential is beyond dispute. But still, the neghative end of the Leeds online support was as vocal as ever, accusing the club of dragging its feet and lacking ambition. It is now quite clear, with the audacious bid for Ibrahimovic – and with interest also apparently having been registered in the PSG sensation Edinson Cavani – that United are prepared to aim high in their efforts to enhance the squad. That kind of resolve, backed up by Premier League status and a vastly richer transfer war chest if promotion should be achieved this season, bodes very well for the Leeds squad development plans and prospects in a higher sphere.
If Leeds were prepared to think this big whilst still in the Championship, who knows what their targets might be as a top flight force? It’s a mouth watering prospect, however long the delay might now be until those ambitions can be realised.
Surely though, it’s now a matter of when, not merely if Leeds go up – and the ultimately unsuccessful enquiries for two major stars in January could well be a precursor to some extremely ambitious squad building in the run up to United’s first top level season in sixteen years.
It looks as though, when that glorious day dawns and Leeds are back in the big time, they might just be going for it in an appropriately big way – and this blogger, for one, can hardly wait.
Marching On Together
Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything 
Couldn’t agree more Rob. I just hope Snr. Bielsa can be persuaded to see it all through!
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Life is always about “what if, if only” but yes I agree the intent was there and I believe it is still there by the owner. For him to find the right words when talking to the fans does get lost lost in the translation ( as a daughter of a Mediterranean country father whose English was very good sometimes I witnessed this in him) some are to impatient to listen.
However our boys are doing a really good job and trying very hard to make up for the lost points and they do this by running the other teams into the ground and displaying true grit and determination. At times I stop watching the match and watch the opposition, you can see them racing down the pitch after one of the Leeds players and once the end of that movement ends you can see the look on their faces “for heavens sake give us a breather”.
Big names they might be, the bigger stage they have played on, the bigger the wage they command. “IF” it is meant to be it will happen, no matter who you have as long as they are a true team and not odds and sods bolted on.
But Leeds United will always have us lot, the passionate fans who die every week for them…….well we are the only fans who have our own personal defibrillators but we would not have it any other way. ALAW
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Hi Rob, It will be a glorious day when we finally achieve promotion,and i am just hoping that Marcelo and his staff stay with us for the challenge ,we certainly deserve to be up there with the best of them.
Regards H. m.o.t.
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As you say Rob good to see the ambition. Mind you there is a part of me that would have liked to see Bamford starting every game and for Zlatan to have got a few minutes at the end in true Bielsa style.
Joking aside I’m not sure Bielsa would take a punt on such a big ‘personality’ in the team unless he was sure he’d put a big shift in like all the current squad currently do. P.S I’m enjoying the official LUFC re runs and it’s good to see the club pulling together to assist staff and the wider community at this time. Let us hope this communal spirit continues once we are all safely through this. MOT and stay very safe everyone.
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