As per Club Call, Leeds United could miss out on Gamba Osaka midfielder and winter target Yosuke Ideguchi, as Belgian top-flight outfit St Truiden are keen on the Japan international.
Currently sitting 5th on the Jupiler League log, the Belgian side have a greater chance of signing Ideguchi, as there wouldn’t be a need for a work permit to bring the midfielder on board.
Unfortunately for Leeds, that remains a big hurdle to scale in order to land the Asian star, as he’s not qualified for a UK work permit having not met Football Association’s points-based criteria due to his low number of caps (3) for Japan.
Ideguchi won the J. League Division 1 with Osaka, and Leeds sporting director Victor Orta was keen to see the club break into the Asian market with his signing.
The 21-year-old has a £700,000 buy-out clause in his contract, and while the fee isn’t a problem for the Whites, considering the financial and other benefits that would emanate from securing the deal, they aren’t favorites to lure him to Europe, and can only loan him out immediately even if they do manage to get him.
