Sources: The reason Leeds missed out on trio of deadline day deals
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Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent
Sun 7 September 2025 15:38, UK
Leeds United missed out on a trio of their most ambitious summer transfer targets due to the allure of European football, sources have told Football Insider.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed what his sources have said about Leeds’ failed bids for the three exit-linked forwards.
Football Insider revealed that Leeds and Crystal Palace had both been in talks to sign Manor Solomon on deadline day, but he chose to join Villarreal on loan from Tottenham to play in the Champions League.
Palace sealed a loan-to-buy deal for Christantus Uche after Leeds and Wolves held talks for the Getafe striker, and sources have told Football Insider that European football played a crucial role in his decision.
Leeds had also been given encouragement in their pursuit of Bilal El Khannouss after his move to Palace collapsed, but missed out once again after Stuttgart succeeded with their £26million loan-to-buy offer.
Sources have told Football Insider that Leeds losing their top targets to three Europe-bound sides is no coincidence, but stated that Daniel Farke has “no regrets” about their failed pursuits and will look to re-enter the market in January.
Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media
Solomon, Uche and El Khannouss weren’t the only attackers Leeds missed out on late in the window, scheduling a flight to bring Harry Wilson to Elland Road, only for the Fulham wideman to stay put.
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Speaking on the new Inside Track podcast, O’Rourke said that Leeds would always face competition for the signatures of these top-level players, but expects Farke to draw up another list of targets for January.
“Deals were there to be done, but there’s always competition for these players’ signatures”, he told Football Insider.
“Manor Solomon – Palace tried to sign him, but he’s gone to Villarreal, he’s got Champions League football.
[Christantus] Uche went to Palace.
“Obviously, Palace had money in their pockets following the sale of Ebere Eze, so obviously that helped them, and the chance European football as well for Uche, that Leeds can’t offer.
“Then [Bilal] El Khannouss; there was a lot of interest in him from other clubs during the window, but he’s decided to make the move to Germany, to Stuttgart.
“Those three players were ambitious targets for Leeds and obviously they’ve missed out, but there’s no regrets from Daniel Farke.
“He will now move on and work with what he’s got, to try and ensure that Leeds are well-placed come the January window.”
Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media
Solomon’s move to a Champions League side in Villarreal is proof for Leeds’ targets that a move to Elland Road could be a huge boost to their careers, after he re-railed his own on loan from Spurs last season.
A haul of 10 goals and 12 assists in Leeds’ Championship title-win were enough to earn Solomon a move to LaLiga, but the Whites are only able to target free agents like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain until January.
Farke’s concerns with Leeds’ lack of transfer activity have been laid bare following a failure to sign any of their primary targets, but January does give the Whites another chance to vastly improve their frontline.