Transfer Centre

Leeds United left-back Junior Firpo wanted by Inter Milan?

By Oliver Thomas, Senior Reporter | 15 March 2023

Leeds left-back Junior Firpo wanted by Inter Milan?

Serie A giants Inter Milan reportedly express their interest in signing Leeds United left-back Junior Firpo ahead of the summer transfer window.

Serie A giants Inter Milan have reportedly expressed their interest in signing Leeds United left-back Junior Firpo.

The 26-year-old has recently enjoyed a run of games in the first team following a difficult spell on the sidelines through injury, starting in nine of the last 10 fixtures across all competitions.

Firpo has also scored his only two goals of the season in that time, including a late winner in the crucial 1-0 victory over Southampton in the Premier League at the end of February.

The Spaniard joined Leeds from La Liga giants Barcelona in the summer of 2021 for around £12.8m, and has since made a total of 42 appearances for the Whites in all tournaments.

Firpo has played every minute in the last four games since the appointment of new head coach Javi Gracia, who seemingly prefers the attack-minded left-back to Pascal Struijk.

Leeds United's Junior Firpo celebrates scoring against Southampton on February 25, 2023 © Reuters

However, according to InterLive.it, Leeds will look to cash in on Firpo if they are relegated from the Premier League this season.

The Whites currently sit 19th in the table, only one point adrift of safety, and they are one of nine teams who are embroiled in one of the tightest English top-flight relegation battles in years.

The report adds that Leeds would entertain offers of £9m for Firpo, who is said to be open to joining a club competing in Europe.

Inter Milan have allegedly identified the left-back as a potential target as they look to provide competition for first-choice wing-back Federico Dimarco.

It is also understood that the Nerazzurri will listen to offers for Robin Gosens this summer, with Calciomercatoweb claiming that the Italian giants could negotiate a swap deal with Leeds involving the German and Firpo.

Leeds United's Junior Firpo walks off the pitch injured after being substituted on January 16, 2022 © Reuters

After scoring the aforementioned winner against Southampton last month, Firpo insisted that Leeds have the credentials to survive in the Premier League and hinted that he would be happy to stay put at Elland Road.

"I think in the situation we are in right now, we don't deserve to be here [fighting against relegation]," Firpo told reporters. "We demonstrated [against Southampton] we were the better team. We get our win and I score a goal, so [I am] really happy.

"It has been probably one of the toughest weeks of my career. But we have this coaching team and I say to them before the game: 'We have one of the best dressing rooms I have ever met and we deserve to be here in the Premier League'."

Firpo is not the only Leeds player who has been linked with a summer switch to Italy, as Serie A giants Juventus are reportedly interested in signing teenage forward Wilfried Gnonto.