Leeds United plotting transfer raid for 8-goal international winger | OneFootball

Leeds United have targeted MLS star, Diego Luna, but no deal is thought to be imminent at this stage.

Leeds United are looking into a potential January transfer deal for United States international youngster Diego Luna.

That is according to a report from The Mirror, who state that whilst no agreement is thought to be imminent at this stage, Leeds hold a firm interest in the winger - who has recently won the MLS Young Player of the Year award - and have been monitoring him for some time.

The Championship promotion chasers have been keeping a watchful eye on the 21-year-old's development after a standout season across the Atlantic Ocean, and he could now be on the move to England.

If Leeds attempt to strike a deal, they will face competition from other clubs in Europe, with clubs from Belgium, Italy, Holland and Spain all reportedly interested in the 21-year-old.

The Mirror claim that Luna's stocks are as high as ever after his performances in the MLS, so the Whites will be very keen on beating those other clubs to his signature.

Who is Diego Luna - the Leeds United target that has stormed the MLS in 2024?

Luna is a name that may not be familiar in the English game, but MLS fans will wax lyrical about the highly promising 21-year-old.

The 21-year-old is an attacking midfielder by trade who typically operates on the left flank or in the number 10 position, and evidently likes to get forward and contribute to the attacking play.

In 2024 alone, Luna scored eight goals and assisted eight in 26 MLS starts for Real Salt Lake, contributing heavily to their third-placed finish in the Western Conference, and whilst they were eliminated by Minnesota United in the play-offs, Luna was handed the league's Young Player of the Year award for his impact.

The 21-year-old is a keen dribbler of the ball with a touch of flair, and enjoys creating and scoring goals with both feet. His eye for a forward pass is exceptional, and would likely work wonders at Leeds United if he were to sign in January, even though there is plenty of competition for places already at Elland Road.

Luna has been at Real Salt Lake for two-and-a-half years now, and earned international recognicition with first cap for USA earlier in 2024, and it may now be time for the winger to make the move to Europe and advance his career.

Leeds United's season so far

As expected, Leeds are flying in the Championship at the moment, and will have an eye on promotion as the season approaches the halfway mark.

Daniel Farke's Whites sit inside those automatic promotion places, but it will be no easy task to stay there, with the likes of Sheffield United, Burnley and Sunderland all aiming to finish in the top two.

Leeds have won 11 of their 19 Championship games so far this season, and are the second top scorers in the league with 33.

This weekend they registered a dominant 2-0 victory at home to Derby County through goals from Joe Rodon and Maximilian Wober, but will need to do this consistently if they want to achieve automatic promotion to the Premier League.

As for this reported interest in Diego Luna, it could turn out to be a very smart pickup given his performances in the MLS this year, but at the same time, they may be cautious about a 21-year-old from the MLS adapting to life in the Championship, or Premier League if they get promoted.

It may also be an expensive deal to complete given the rising quality of the MLS, and the fact that Luna has been one of the better players there this year - Leeds might feasibly have to splash the cash if they want to land this particular target.