Dieng’s deadline-day DISASTER: Leeds are left seething as the Marseille striker snubs a move
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Dieng’s deadline-day DISASTER: Leeds are left seething as the Marseille striker snubs an agreed £8.6m move at the airport – with a private jet on standby – and turns around to head to Nice… only to FAIL his medical with the French club at the last minute
- Marseille’s Bamba Dieng looked to be heading to sign for Leeds United
- The 22-year-old was waiting to fly to Leeds when Nice made a counter offer
- Dieng snubbed Leeds and headed for Nice, only to fail his medical at the club
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Leeds United were left fuming that they had been ‘screwed’ after their deadline day move for Marseille’s Bamba Dieng collapsed.
After director of football Victor Orta had agreed an £8.6million fee, the 22-year-old striker was sat at a private jet terminal in France with his plane on standby to fly to Leeds for his medical when Nice made a counter offer. Pushed for an answer, Dieng snubbed Leeds’ offer and headed for Nice.
Dieng then failed a medical at Nice, capping off a disastrous day for the youngster. Nice will try to revive Dieng tomorrow as they are allowed to sign one player outside of the window as long as he is with a French club.
Bamba Dieng’s move to Leeds fell through and he then failed a medical at Nice on Thursday
Leeds boss Jesse Marsch turned to the Senegal forward after other moves fell through
Leeds were left scrambling to find late alternatives while Daniel James’s loan move to Fulham was put on hold.
Owner Andrea Radrizzani had earlier taken to social media to greet Dieng’s arrival after some fans voiced disappointment at Leeds missing out on a deal for PSV Eindhoven’s Cody Gakpo.
News of Dieng’s U-turn prompted Radrizzani to tweet: ‘Part of the madness of deadline day.
‘We have been screwed up, it happens even to the best ones. We have done a great market, planned and executed our targets at very early stage. Keep going.’
Orta could be justified in his anger. After seeing an £18m bid for Wolves Hwang Hee-Chan rejected on Wednesday, Orta flew straight to Holland to sign Gakpo intent on coming back with his signature. Yet after scoring a hat-trick in PSV’s 7-1 thrashing of Volendam, the Dutch side blocked the deal.
Orta moved swiftly to tee up Dieng yesterday morning only for it to end in public rejection.