Leeds United may have accidentally landed a much better deal after missing out on Mykhailo Mudryk.
The Whites went into deadline day desperate to strengthen three positions — left-back, left-wing and striker — and they appear to have addressed two of those concerns.
With Noah Okafor already providing an option on the left, Leeds wanted another winger to add competition and reduce the workload on the Swiss attacker.
Their answer came in the form of Eintracht Frankfurt’s Jean-Matteo Bahoya.
The winger had previously been close to a move to Hull City, but Leeds stepped in when the opportunity remained open and quickly reached an agreement with the Bundesliga side.
Bahoya will initially join on loan, with Leeds committed to making the transfer permanent if an undisclosed clause is triggered. The potential overall fee is reported to be £25.7 million by The Athletic.
The deal was completed in dramatic deadline-day fashion, with Leeds submitting a deal sheet to extend the time available to finalise the transfer after announcing Melvin Bard shortly before the deadline.
And while Leeds were understandably frustrated when Tottenham hijacked their proposed move for Mudryk, the setback could ultimately prove beneficial.
Spurs agreed a loan deal for Mudryk with a £75 million purchase option, whereas Leeds have secured a younger winger with a potential permanent cost of just £25.7 million.
There is no guarantee Bahoya will outperform Mudryk, but Leeds have potentially turned a frustrating transfer failure into a significantly cheaper long-term investment.
What initially looked like bad news for Leeds could now prove to be a blessing in disguise.
