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Leeds Utd transfer news: Improved Mergim Berisha bid likely as selling club hit by ‘big crisis’

Mergim Berisha of Fenerbahce

Leeds United could submit a second offer for Fenerbahce centre-forward Mergim Berisha as the Turkish club are reportedly in a ‘big crisis’.

Berisha is a former Germany U21 international who came through the ranks at Austrian outfit Red Bull Salzburg. He had several loan spells away from Salzburg before leaving permanently in September 2021, when Fenerbahce came in for him.

According to transfermarkt, they paid Salzburg £4.5million to give Berisha his first spell in the Turkish Super Lig.

Last term, the German managed four goals and two assists in 22 league matches for Fenerbahce. He also got on the scoresheet twice in the Europa League, but his team couldn’t get out of the group stage.

Berisha’s Fenerbahce contract runs for another three years, keeping him at the Sukru Saracoglu stadium until June 2025.

But he could leave after just one season in Turkey amid claims Leeds want to sign him. As per SPOR journalist Omer Celikbasli, the Whites recently sent a £1.7million bid for Berisha.

HITC provide an update on the situation, while citing reports coming out of Turkey. They state Leeds’ opening offer fell short of Fenerbahce’s valuation. They want £4.25m to part ways with Berisha.

But there is still a chance he will end up at Elland Road. Fenerbahce are reportedly in a ‘big crisis’ and need to sell several of their foreign players to fit in with league rules.

Fenerbahce could be forced into Mergim Berisha sale

Berisha is one of them. And despite rejecting Leeds’ bid, they might have to accept a lesser fee for him due to the necessity of adhering to Super Lig regulations.

Leeds will be keeping an eye on developments and will surely be planning to put a second offer on the table. It appears they could achieve a transfer steal this summer.

Jesse Marsch needs a new striker to compete with Patrick Bamford and Joe Gelhardt up front. The Whites have already lost out on Charles De Ketelaere to AC Milan.

They also like Paris Saint-Germain’s Arnaud Kalimuendo, though he may end up staying in the French capital.

A move for Berisha could make sense given his history with Marsch. The pair worked together at Salzburg, and Marsch helped his attacker to reach 21 goals during his final campaign in the Austrian Bundesliga in the 2020-21 season.

Marsch has already taken former players Tyler Adams, Rasmus Kristensen and Brenden Aaronson to Elland Road. It’s clear he wants to work with stars he knows well, and Berisha fits the bill.

Of course, he is nowhere as big of a name as De Ketelaere. The 21-year-old has the potential to become one of Belgium’s best players in the future.

But Berisha would be a shrewd capture if he can be signed by Leeds for a cheap fee. He would be a good backup option for Bamford, providing competition for Gelhardt in the process.

Meanwhile, Newcastle have made a bid to sign a Leeds attacker, according to reports in France.