The genius €25m wonderkid signing who could take Leeds United to another level next season

More than a few transfer rumours have been swirling around Elland Road of late, as Leeds United work to get their squad up to scratch ahead of their return to the Premier League, They’ve been linked with dozens of players, some rather more likely to sign than others – but one name has stood out among the stories.

A report from French outlet Le Nouvel Echo claims that Leeds have “expressed interest” in RB Salzburg and Israel attacking midfielder Oscar Gloukh, a name that will be familiar to most Football Manager players. Touted as one of the most exciting young players in Europe, signing the 21-year-old could represent a significant coup for Daniel Farke’s side. But is he as good as a computer games suggests, and more importantly, should we lend any credence to the story?

Why Oscar Gloukh would be one of Leeds United’s most exciting signings

Gloukh emerged from Maccabi Tel Aviv’s youth academy just three years ago and was quickly snapped up by RB Salzburg for a reported €7m (£6m), and while he took a few months to settle into the Austrian Bundesliga he has been consistently impressive over the past two seasons.

He has scored 12 goals in all competitions this season (including a recent strike against Pachuca in the Club World Cup) and set up eight more, all while demonstrating some of the quickest feet and sharpest ball control on the continent.

Notionally a number ten but often operating down the left flank, Gloukh is an instinctive and dangerous dribbler with superb technique and a sudden turn of pace, making him a major headache for defenders – he’s more than capable of breaking through closely-packed back lines by himself and his ability to get the ball downfield at speed and generate chances is remarkable.

It helps that he’s that rare thing, a genuinely two-footed player, just as comfortable cutting inside and curling the ball effortlessly into the far corner against Rapid Vienna as he was unleashing a 20-yeard piledriver into the side netting against Austria Vienna, both among the goals he has scored in 2025 alone. That goal against Pachuca this month wasn’t exactly hard on the eye, either.

To top of his technical skills and ability to score from any distance, he’s even highly effective in a high press, averaging more than four turnovers per game in the Bundesliga this season – a very healthy number for an attacking midfielder – and demonstrating an impeccable work rate.

In short, he’s an exceptionally talented and skilful player with very few weaknesses and the dynamism, directness and goal threat to become a truly first-rate player. Were Leeds to get hold of him this summer, he would likely be among the most naturally gifted players they have had on the books in the Premier League era, and would give them the tools to take apart teams that newly-promoted sides often struggle against.

Buying Gloukh would represent and exceptionally impressive piece of business – a player who is already very good indeed and who has the ability to reach the very top if his career is nurtured correctly. But are Leeds really in the market for him?

Gloukh rumours should be treated with caution

Although a number of different online outlets have now carried stories about Leeds’ interest in Gloukh, they all ultimately stem from one very brief report in Le Nouvel Echo – a story which offers very little detail beyond claiming that Leeds want the player and that he might cost around €25m (£21m).

Other stories have exaggerated the original claim and suggested that Leeds have made a formal approach of some form, but there doesn’t seem to be a source for that. All we know is that one media company posted the rumour as an exclusive, and that more established sports reporters have yet to corroborate it.

That isn’t a great sign, and nor is the fact that the journalist credited with the scoop, Rob Laurens, doesn’t seem to be a football journalist at all. Recent stories penned under his name cover reports of bird flu in Mexico and a bear cull in Slovakia, but rarely seem to cross into the domain of transfer stories.

None of that means that the story is false, of course. Perhaps a generalist reporter stumbled across a contact with inside information in Leeds or Salzburg – stranger things have happened. But until more established sports news outlets begin to back Le Nouvel Echo up, it’s probably safer to treat the story with considerable caution.

It doesn’t help matters that quite a few other teams have been linked with Gloukh, not least Manchester United who are said to be long-term admirers of the Israeli international, while Arsenal, Newcastle and Aston Villa were all credited with interest in 2024.

If Leeds did make a bid worth around £21m for Gloukh, then it would probably spark a bidding war. Football Manager’s scouts aren’t the only people to note Gloukh’s gifts and rapid improvement over the last two years, and it’s highly unlikely that Leeds would have the floor to themselves.

Perhaps they do make a move, and perhaps the improved odds of immediate first-team football persuade Gloukh to move to Elland Road as a stepping stone in his career – but there is little hard evidence that any negotiations have taken place. It’s a tempting story, but for now, perhaps a little far-fetched.