An update has emerged on Leeds United and their pursuit of Abdelhamid Sabiri ahead of the January transfer window...
What's the talk?
According to SampNews24, Sampdoria are looking for a fee in the region of €10m (£8.6m) from any teams trying to snap the Morocco gem up next month.
The report claims that the Whites are one of a number of clubs eyeing up the midfielder, with Real Betis, Lyon, and two unnamed Premier League outfits also in the race for his signature.
However, Fiorentina are said to be leading the chasing pack after piecing together an offer of €5m plus the choice of signing one of their players in exchange.
Meanwhile, Polish outlet Sportowe Fakty are reporting that an exit for Mateusz Klich is likely next month and that D.C. United and Royal Antwerp are both interested in offering him a route away from Elland Road.
Sabiri in, Klich out
Jesse Marsch can now ditch the £34k-per-week Poland international by striking a deal to sign the Moroccan playmaker in the January window.
Both players are proficient at playing in central midfield or as an attacking midfielder but Klich has struggled to make an impact at Leeds this season, playing 11 times off the bench in the Premier League this season and failing to register a single goal or assist.
It could be time for the 32-year-old to move on to pastures new and signing Sabiri could free up the space for Victor Orta and Marsch to greenlight an exit in January.
The Moroccan international has caught the eye at the ongoing World Cup in Qatar, averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.80 with one assist in four appearances so far.
Analyst Statman Dave hailed his free-kick against Belgium as "clever" as the midfielder fired it in towards the near post, which allowed Romain Saiss to poke the ball past Thibaut Courtois.
He registered a Sofascore rating of 7.3 against the Red Devils and a rating of 7.0 against Spain as he came off the bench to win three of his four duels and score in the penalty shootout win for his side.
Since joining Sampdoria in January of this year, Sabiri has racked up five goals and three assists in 26 outings in all competitions for the Serie A side and this suggests that he has the potential to make an impact at the top end of the pitch for Leeds.
The 26-year-old, who scored 11 goals and provided four assists in 43 Serie B matches for Ascoli, has shown that he can be a difference-maker from the middle of the park, whereas Klich has struggled in front of goal and has not provided much quality in that area of the pitch this term.
Therefore, Marsch could ditch the Polish dud by swooping to sign the World Cup maestro ahead of the likes of Real Betis and Lyon next month.