Leeds foe Bamba Dieng could still get Nice move after failing medical

Football rumours: Everton and Leeds join Cody Gakpo chase

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Bamba Dieng’s failed deadline-day move to Nice could be revived over the coming days due to a unique rule that allows French clubs to sign one player after the end of the summer window, according to reports. Dieng found himself at the centre of a truly bizarre saga in the final hours of the open market on Thursday, with the Marseille winger initially agreeing to join Leeds United before changing his mind at the eleventh hour.

Dieng ultimately left the Yorkshire outfit red-faced by ditching his interest in joining them in order to chase a move to Nice, but went on to fail a late medical and will instead remain at Marseille for the time being. However, Nice could decide to resurrect the move in the not-too-distant future as a result of Ligue 1’s ‘joker’ rule, according to The Athletic.

It is claimed that Nice will try to take advantage of the situation over the coming days by going back in for Dieng, with further tests having been pencilled in for Friday. It remains to be seen whether the 22-year-old will eventually get his move, though, or if he will be forced to stay put in the event of another failed medical.

Leeds had all but wrapped up a deal to land Dieng with just hours until the end of the window but were left furious when he opted to snub the idea of joining Jesse Marsch’s squad at the last second. He was due to fly to England on Thursday after a transfer fee of £10million was settled upon in negotiations between Leeds and Marseille but chose not to travel while at the airport when Nice decided to submit a last-gasp offer in an attempt to hijack the move.

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Fulham had also been in talks over a move for Dieng but it looked as if Nice had swooped in to snap him up from under the noses of his various Premier League suitors as the clock ticked down. The Ligue 1 outfit will now be hoping to finally rubber-stamp the player’s signature over the weekend after agreeing personal terms on a five-year contract prior to his unsuccessful medical.

Leeds were so confident that Dieng was about to become their latest recruit on Thursday that owner Andrea Radrizzani publicly welcomed him to Elland Road on Twitter while confirming the club’s interest in PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo at the same time.

“Let’s welcome Bamba Dieng and we will continue to work on Gapko,” said Radrizzani. “Now it’s time to focus on the pitch and support our new project and the great job Jesse and the staff are doing.”

Radrizzani went on to admit that Leeds had been ‘screwed’ by Dieng’s decision to snub the Whites but insisted that he was still more than happy with their recruitment over the course of the summer window as a whole.

“Part of the madness of deadline day,” he said after the deal had fallen through. “We have been screwed up, it happens even to the best ones. We have done a great market, planned and executed our targets at a very early stage. Keep going.”

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