Orta given green light to sign "extraordinary" £22m Leeds target, imagine & Sinisterra - opinion

Leeds United have been handed a huge boost in their bid to bring Hamed Junior Traore to Elland Road this summer.

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Il Resto del Carlino (via Sport Witness), who claim that, following a number of reports linking Victor Orta with a move for the US Sassuolo winger, the Serie A side’s CEO, Giovanni Carnevali, has now suggested that the 22-year-old is more expendable than the likes of Gianluca Scamacca and Davide Frattesi – who have also been linked with moves away from the Mapei Stadium this summer.

In comments relayed in earlier reports, Carnevali also confirmed that he had received a request to sign the Ivory Coast international from the Premier League outfit, with I Neroverdi believed to be willing to part with Traore for a figure in the region of €25m (£22m).

With it being recently reported that Leeds are closing in on a deal for Feyenoord winger Luis Sinisterra, should Orta manage to get deals over the line for both the Colombia international and the Sassuolo sensation this summer, it would certainly appear as if the Spaniard has done an exceptional job at replacing the outbound Raphinha.

Indeed, over his 31 Serie A appearances for The Watermelon Peel in 2021/22, the £26m-rated Traore was in electric form for Alessio Dionisi’s side, scoring seven goals, providing four assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.6 shots, making 1.2 key passes and completing 2.0 dribbles per game.

Furthermore, according to FBRef, the £15k-per-week talent also ranks in the top 18% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the top 24% for shots, the top 11% for progressive carries,