Leeds United transfer news: Whites make 'direct contact' with Premier League rival over midfielder deal

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Joao Gomes this summer.

The Black Country club's eight-year stay in the Premier League is coming to an end, with the bottom side confirmed as relegated following West Ham United's draw at Crystal Palace on Monday night.

Nevertheless, the Old Gold still have a few fixtures to fulfil before the conclusion of the campaign, and they could have a major say in who joins them in the second tier of English football next season.

On Saturday afternoon, 18th-placed Tottenham Hotspur are the out-of-form visitors to Molineux, where Spurs will be looking to record their first Premier League maximum since the end of December.

Roberto De Zerbi is yet to experience a true new-manager bounce with the Lilywhites, who have lost at Sunderland and drawn at home to Brighton & Hove Albion during his opening two games in charge.

Leeds make 'direct contact' over Gomes deal

Preparing for life in the Championship during the 2026-27 campaign, Wolves are expecting a number of their more high-profile names to depart, potentially escaping back into the Premier League.

According to journalist Sebastien Vidal, Leeds are keen on bringing midfielder Gomes to Elland Road over the course of the summer window, saving him from a gruelling 46-game second-tier term.

The report claims that the Whites are in direct contact with representatives of the 25-year-old over a potential switch to Elland Road, where he played in a 3-0 defeat for Wolves last weekend.

As well as the Yorkshire outfit, it is understood that Manchester United are also admirers of the 10-time international, who was last called up for the senior squad of Brazil for a pair of October friendlies.

Leeds are supposedly willing to offer £50m for the services of the former Flamengo star, however, that figure is highly contentious given that the selling club will be plying its trade in the Championship.

Picking at the Wolves

There are some players in the Wolves squad that were purchased in recent times with a view to quickly bouncing back in the Championship - none more so than second-tier expert Adam Armstrong.

However, there are a cohort of men in Rob Edwards' ranks that will believe that their abilities are above a campaign outside the Premier League, with Joao Gomes certainly falling into that category.

As a result, the top-flight vultures are circling around Molineux, with stars such as Matheus Mane, Ladislav Krejci and Andre all linked with moves away from the Black Country club in recent times.