Leeds could see a £26m bid accepted to sign the star

Leeds United are likely to make a splash in the summer transfer window this year as they line up a club-record signing to bolster Daniel Farke’s squad.

After finishing 14th in the Premier League in their first season back at large under the German head coach, the board are looking to improve the squad to go further next term.

The Whites are reportedly interested in signing Sporting defender Ousmane Diomande, who would cost a club-record fee of £39m, surpassing the £35.5m they paid Hoffenheim for Georginio Rutter in January 2023.

It has also been claimed that the West Yorkshire outfit have already agreed personal terms with the Ivorian defender, suggesting they now have to agree a financial deal with Sporting to secure a deal along the line.

Deciding to pay a player a club-record fee is not a call the club will take lightly, but it remains to be seen whether or not the 49ers will be successful.

Leeds are keen to sign the Portuguese Liga star

Diomande made 17 appearances in Liga Portugal for Sporting in the 2025/26 campaign, after winning the division the previous two seasons, and was outstanding in aerial contests.

The Ivorian star, however, is not the only player from the Portuguese top flight to catch Farke and the club ahead of next season.

According to Portuguese journalist Pablo Oliveira, Leeds United is one of the teams interested in signing Braga goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek in the summer transfer window.

The journalist claims that the Portuguese side are not willing to negotiate with the clubs for their star defender, however, which means that interested parties will have to bid £26m to see the offer accepted, as that is his release clause.

Oliveira added that Porto, who won the Liga Portugal for the 2025/26 campaign, and Benfica are also eyeing the Czechia international as a potential signing this summer.

However, he does not reveal whether Porto, Benfica, or Leeds are ready to pay the £26m it will take to sign the goalkeeper, but all three clubs now know how much they have to pay to see the offer accepted.

Why Ousmane Diomande would like Lukas Hornicek

The Whites should pay the Braga star the asking price because he will be the best player in the team, and Diomande would like to play with him if they both end up at Elland Road.

Karl Darlow finished the season as the club’s first choice between the sticks, but there is room for Farke to bring in a better goalkeeper for the 2026/27 campaign.

The veteran Wales international scored 1.50 more goals than expected based on xG against him, and completed only 58% of his attempted passes, as he was uncomfortable playing back under pressure.

Hornicek’s form for Braga this season, shows that he is at his best with the ball at his feet when playing at the back, and is also a very effective stopper.

Diomande is a consistent passer, averaging 24.6 passes per 90 this season, who wants to go forward and improve his team’s play by playing outside the defense, which means he needs a goalkeeper behind him who is free on the ball and wants to play.

Therefore, the Czechia international would be a better fit for the Ivorian than Darlow, who tends to turn to long kicks instead of taking risks under pressure to play downfield.

Hornieck, dubbed a “prodigy” by writer Zach Lowy, also caught the eye with his performance in the Europa League, completing 66% of his attempted passes and making 3.73 goals-against-expectations in 14 appearances in the competition.

The 23-year-old star’s statistics in the Portuguese league, which averages 1.4 run outs per game, also suggest that Diomande would like him.

Having a goalkeeper who is more willing to come off his line to sweep balls behind the defense means that the backline can move up, which can lead to Diomande being able to play higher up the pitch with the ball at his feet, to demonstrate his continuous passing.

Therefore, signing Sporting and Braga stars from Portugal’s top flight this summer would boost Farke’s side and be a double-deal for the club.