Taylor’s Transfers: Tottenham track ‘next Haaland’, Chelsea exit stalls, Leeds double deal

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Good morning and welcome back to the latest instalment of Taylor’s Tuesday Transfers as I continue to delve into the nitty-gritty of the summer transfer market. As always, you can head over to my YouTube channel here if you would like to hear more about the stories under discussion or alternatively, my Twitter account @RyanTaylorSport for regular updates. Tottenham, Leeds and Chelsea are among the clubs that feature this week so without further delay, let’s get started…

Tottenham track Sesko

Tottenham are among a long list of clubs tracking the development of supremely talented 19-year-old Red Bull Salzburg striker Benjamin Sesko, who has been dubbed the ‘next Erling Haaland’ in Austria.

The Slovenian international looks set to become the next gem off the Salzburg conveyor belt of talent as he prepares for more first-team minutes following the sale of Karim Adeyemi to Borussia Dortmund.

The highly-rated teen struck 10 times in 36 outings last season for the Austrian champions after previously netting 21 goals in 29 appearances for Salzburg’s feeder side FC Liefering during his 2020/21 campaign loan spell – which made him the division’s second-highest goalscorer.

Express Sport understands Spurs are among the clubs keeping a watchful eye over his personal development, alongside Italian giants AC Milan.

The forward’s representative Elvis Basanovic recently met with AC Milan director Paolo Maldini to discuss a potential transfer, before revealing: “I spoke to Paolo Maldini about many things. Of course, the name Benjamin Sesko also came up.”

Legendary defender Maldini is said to be a huge fan of teenage sensation Sesko, who looks set to join a long list – that includes Haaland, Adeyemi, Hwang Hee-chan, Takumi Minamino, Patson Daka, Dominik Szoboszlai and Sadio Mane – of successful Salzburg forwards that have gone onto bigger and better things.

Tottenham are not currently poised to move for Sesko this transfer window but he is a name Fabio Paratici and club scouts will continue to watch closely in the upcoming season.

Leeds to close Luis Sinisterra deal

Leeds are close to finalising the signing of Feyenoord winger Luis Sinisterra following a swift breakthrough in negotiations with the Dutch club.

The Colombian international forward, who netted 23 times and registered 14 assists in 49 outings in all competitions last season, was excused from Feyenoord’s open training session on Monday morning to resolve his future following the approach from the Whites.

Later in the afternoon, he did not join his Feyenoord team-mates on their flight to Austria for their six-day pre-season training camp after being given permission to discuss terms with Leeds – which are now understood to have been agreed.

The transfer will be a record sale for the Rotterdam-based club with Leeds set to clinch a deal worth an estimated £22million including potential add-ons – although the figures involved are not yet final.

Sinisterra was initially spotted by former Liverpool scout Steven Aptroot, who has since left Feyenoord for Norwich City, back in 2018 when the forward was playing for Caldas as a teenager in his homeland.

His scintillating trickery and impressive eye for goal saw him named the UEFA Conference League Young Player of the Season last term, despite Feyenoord losing 1-0 to Roma in the final in Tirana, Albania.

The jet-heeled forward is also a relentless presser, which will undoubtedly suit Leeds down to the ground. No player won the ball back more times than him in the attacking third last season in the Eredivisie (36).

It remains to be seen whether Leeds will continue to pursue other wide attacking targets should they wrap up the signing of Sinisterra, as Barcelona and Chelsea target Raphinha edges closer to an exit.

PSV Eindhoven’s Cody Gakpo, Porto’s Otavio and Hamed Traore of Sassuolo are all names that are of interest and given Sinisterra favours playing on the left side of a front-three – it would be fair to assume the signing of a right-sided winger may still be explored.

Sevilla, Everton and Nice had also shown interest in Sinisterra but Leeds have moved quickly to see off potential transfer rivals with a deal expected to be completed later in the week.

Chelsea exit stalls

Chelsea youngster Ian Maatsen looked set to join Feyenoord as Tyrell Malacia’s replacement but the deal has now stalled as the left-back returned to Cobham for pre-season.

The Dutchman is keen to impress Thomas Tuchel ahead of the 2022/23 campaign with Marcos Alonso looking increasingly likely to join Barcelona.

Maatsen was excellent last season during his time on loan at Coventry City in the Championship and Chelsea considered recalling him in January following Ben Chilwell’s serious knee injury sustained in the Champions League thrashing of Juventus last November.

Borussia Dortmund have also been monitoring the 20-year-old, who was in Rotterdam last week ahead of a permanent switch to Feyenoord. However, no deal was officially agreed and now Maatsen is keen to seize his moment with Chelsea, where he believes there is an opportunity to impress.

Feyenoord could return for his services at a later date but for now, he will be training with the Blues alongside fellow full-back Dujon Sterling ahead of Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the United States.

West Ham Danjuma deal dies

Express Sport has been told Arnaut Danjuma’s proposed move to West Ham ‘won’t be happening’ due to frustrations surrounding claims that there were doubts about the player’s ‘temperament’.

As reported last week, the Hammers board were keen to push through a deal but manager David Moyes decided he wanted to prioritise sealing the return of Jesse Lingard, who is now a free agent following his release from Manchester United.

However, there were also reports within the media that detailed Moyes’ alleged ‘doubts’ with Danjuma’s temperament and work off the ball – something that has not gone down well within the player’s camp.

Initially, they were prepared to wait to seal a move to east London but relationships will now have to be rebuilt if West Ham are to return to the table for the Dutchman later in the window.

The former Bournemouth winger is relaxed and happy in Spain, where he is playing regularly in La Liga ahead of the World Cup in Qatar but at the same time, he would be open to exploring a new challenge if the move was the right project for his personal development.

Manchester United and Liverpool are among the clubs to have monitored Danjuma in the past 12 months and Villarreal are keen to do business to bolster their transfer funds after they failed to qualify for next season’s Champions League or Europa League.

Leeds interest in Mohamed Camara following Adams deal

Austrian sources are expecting Leeds to push ahead with a move to sign Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Mohamed Camara once the sales of Phillips (now confirmed) and Raphinha have been formalised – although Express Sport understands that is unlikely after a £20m deal was struck with RB Leipzig for Tyler Adams.

The Mali international was given permission to sit out of training and matches by Salzburg last week while he looks to resolve his future amid interest from both Leeds and Brighton.

The Whites have been in direct contact with his representatives but are yet to follow up those conversations with a formal bid, while Brighton club sources simply claim he is a player the Seagulls are “aware of.”

But Leeds have now pushed ahead with a £20m deal to sign USMNT midfielder Adams from Leipzig, who is set to reunite with former manager Jesse Marsch at Elland Road.

It poses doubts as to whether Leeds will follow up their interest in Camara after already landing midfielder Marc Roca from Bayern Munich last month.

Camara is itching to move to the Premier League and would like to join Leeds, whose interest has turned his head.

The 22-year-old is expected to return to training with the Austrian champions in the coming days given the lack of movement on his future – although Salzburg know they could still receive an offer.

Boro want striker after Spence sale as Simms attracts Rangers interest

Middlesbrough are keen to push through the sale of Djed Spence so they can finance a push for promotion back to the Premier League after just missing out on the play-offs last season.

Tottenham are still confident of striking a deal with the Championship side but as of now, they are yet to raise their offer following their initial £10m proposal.

Two of the striker targets of interest to Chris Wilder are Viktor Gyokeres and Everton forward Ellis Simms.

Boro saw an initial enquiry knocked back by Coventry earlier in the window with the Sky Blues adamant the Swedish international is not for sale. Fulham are also admirers of the 24-year-old frontman.

However, despite a lack of formal offers, Coventry know they face a fight to keep the former Brighton man, who hit 17 Championship goals last season.

Simms has returned to Everton for pre-season training, where he will be assessed by new manager Frank Lampard before any decision over his future is made. The same applies to defender Jarrad Branthwaite, who is also attracting loan interest from Boro.

Hearts would love to keep the 21-year-old, who scored five times in 17 Scottish Premiership outings during his loan spell north of the border in the second half of last season.

Rangers are also monitoring his situation and could launch a bid to sign Simms on a permanent basis. Several other Championship clubs are also keen.

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