Leeds United could pounce as proven Premier League striker nears free agent status

Sep 3, 2025 2 min read
Leeds United could pounce as proven Premier League striker nears free agent status

Leeds United’s struggles in front of goal have been an early talking point so far of their Premier League return and after a disastrous end to the transfer window having failed to sign any form of an attacker, the club could be handed a golden opportunity to fix the problem.

The final hours of Deadline Day could not have gone much worse for Leeds. Daniel Farke wanted at least two new attacking options to strengthen his squad, but instead, the club ended the window empty-handed.

The collapse of a late deal for Harry Wilson summed up the chaos — Fulham pulled the plug with just minutes to spare, leaving the Whites without a single attacking reinforcement. The lack of new signings has only heightened concerns about whether Leeds have the firepower to stay up this season.

Potential Free Agent

Reports from Saudi Arabia claim Al-Hilal are prepared to pay €25m to terminate Aleksandar Mitrovic’s contract, which would make the Serbian striker available on a free transfer.

In the opening three games of the Premier League season, Leeds have managed just one goal, and that came from Lukas Nmecha’s penalty against Everton.

The burden on the likes of Noah Okafor, Joël Piroe and Dominic Calvert-Lewin to keep fit and start firing is already huge.

Mitrovic, with his Premier League pedigree and physical presence, would offer Leeds something completely different. A striker capable of bullying defences, holding the ball up, and scoring consistently at the level is exactly what Farke’s side are crying out for.

The Catch

Whilst the Serbian striker isn't technically yet a free agent, it seems increasingly likely that the 30-year old will be within the coming weeks. The Saudi transfer window is still open for business for another week and Al-Hilal are reportedly keen to offload Mitrovic or pay him up, in order for them to do more business of their own.

If Mitrovic is made a free agent, there’s of course one significant hurdle: wages. Mitrovic would need to take a massive pay cut to return to English football. At 30, he must decide whether he wants another crack at the Premier League or to continue cashing in abroad.

But, with Al-Hilal apparently willing to cut him loose, Leeds could have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to land the kind of striker they desperately need to assist with the aim of Premier League survival this season — and it would be on a free transfer.

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