The box office Leeds United wonderkid transfer they could pull off – if Aston Villa don’t get there first
Leeds have been linked with a stunning move for a starlet with unbridled talent - but they aren’t the only team in the race.
It’s all been a little bit quiet at Elland Road since Leeds secured their Premier League survival. Presumably the club will be active in the transfer window as they work to build a squad which can make their time in the top flight last a little longer, but the rumour mill has only been turning for other teams. Until now, anyway.
On Wednesday, TEAMtalk reported that Leeds are interested in striking a deal for Barcelona wonderkid Roony Bardghji, regarded for some time as one of Europe’s most gifted young forwards but who has found himself stuck behind Lamine Yamal at the Camp Nou.
The report alleges that Leeds are “well positioned” to complete a signing which could prove to be something of a coup – but they have competition the 20-year-old. So will a deal get done, and would he be good enough to help Leeds beat the drop yet again next season?
Will Leeds win the race to sign Roony Bardghji – or will Aston Villa or Sunderland get there first?
While TEAMtalk report that Leeds are tracking Bardghji ahead of a potential transfer bid, they stop short of suggesting that any negotiations are underway – and add that several other sides are keen on a winger who earned a reputation as one of the brightest talents in the game at FC København before he moved to Barcelona last year.
Aston Villa, Sunderland, Everton, Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford are all said to have made enquiries about the Kuwait-born player’s availability after it started to become clear that he could be sold this summer, while Spanish media outlet Sport suggest that Dutch side Ajax are also an interested party in a recent report of their own.
While it appears to be too early in the process to determine where Bardghji might end up, TEAMtalk certainly imply that Leeds are somewhere towards the front of the queue. There’s no word on the size of the transfer fee that might be involved, but it is said that Barcelona are prepared to sell him permanently – even though the player himself would prefer a loan move.
Bardghji has struggled to nail down a regular place in Hansi Flick’s side since joining last summer, starting just seven games in La Liga, scoring once. There have been flashes of the technical class and lightning change of pace that drew so much attention in Denmark, but the Sweden international – who missed out on a place in Graham Potter’s World Cup squad – ultimately found himself frustrated behind Yamal.
That leaves the door ajar for a side like Leeds to get their hands on a player who would be among the most naturally talented ever to play for them, even if there’s no certainty as to whether they would be able to beat numerous other suitors out in a bidding war. This is a perfectly plausible rumour, but very far indeed from a done deal.
Would Roony Bardghji make Leeds better next season?
Bardghji was already making waves as a 16-year-old, when he became FC København’s youngest ever player, and only generated more and more hype over the next couple of years as he established himself first as a regular starter and then as an immensely talented prospect – scoring his first Champions League goal in a 4-3 win over Manchester United in 2023 along the way.
Blessed with exceptional close control and a sudden turn of acceleration that could leave defenders standing, Bardghji’s highlight reel is exceptionally impressive and as the 2023/24 season wore on, he gradually added an end product, scoring eight goals in 27 games for København before disaster struck.
A serious knee injury sustained during a training session wiped out almost the entire 2024/25 season and cost him precious opportunities for development. With his contract expiring, Barcelona were able to snap him up on a cut-price deal, signing him for €2m plus add-ons last summer a few months before he hit the free market.
Now, with their finances strained once more by the signing of Anthony Gordon and the potential arrival of Julián Alvarez, Barcelona could look for a quick profit on a player who hasn’t been able to muscle his way into regular first-team minutes. But there’s plenty of room to be second fiddle to Yamal and still be good enough for Leeds.
The question is whether Bardghji would suit Daniel Farke’s system. The switch to a 3-5-2 formation which turned the club’s form around and eventually ensured their survival means that Leeds are one of few top-level teams who don’t play with wingers, leaving an open question as to where Bardghji might play. A role as a supporting striker seems conceivable, but would require a considerable leap of faith.
Signing Bardghji, a player who needs regular minutes to realise his considerable potential, for a team which doesn’t have a clear-cut role for him doesn’t sound like a very probable move – suggesting either that Farke has a fresh tactical vision lined up for the 2026/27 season, or that the link to Bardghji might be specious. We’ll find out which soon enough…