Leeds United: Keeper Wiedwald delighted to become Whites latest new signing

German goalkeeper Felix Wiedwald said he was relishing the prospect of 'marching on' with Leeds United after becoming the club's latest new recruit by signing from Werder Bremen.
Felix WiedwaldFelix Wiedwald
Felix Wiedwald

The 27-year-old former German under-20 international has joined the Whites for a fee thought to be around £500,000 with the goalkeeper signing a three-year deal at Elland Road.

And Wiedwald immediately expressed his delight at joining Leeds at the end of a week which saw chairman Andrea Radrizzani complete a deal to repurchase United’s Elland Road home from its private landlord.

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“I am very happy to be here and I am looking forward to marching on with you together at the stadium,” said Wiedwald.

Leeds are likely to bring in around ten new recruits this summer with defender Pontus Jansson's three-year contract starting today.

The Whites are also trying to sign Huesca’s Spanish no 10 Samuel Saiz who has been in United’s sights for the past fortnight.

La Liga club Eibar have also been chasing Saiz but sources in Spain have told the YEP that they expect a deal with United to be agreed in “a matter of days”.

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Leeds are also keen on Lugano’s Macedonian winger Ezgjan Alioski who is also thought to be attracting the interest of Swiss side FC Basel.

The arrival of Wiedwald, meanwhile, has left Leeds with four goalkeepers and the German’s signature is likely to lead to a departure from Elland Road with Rob Green, Marco Silvestri and academy product Bailey Peacock-Farrell all under contract until 2018.

Wiedwald’s career has been played out in the German leagues, with spells at MSV Duisburg and Eintracht Frankfurt followed by a move to Bremen in 2015.

The six-foot-three custodian played 25 times in the Bundesliga last season as Bremen finished eighth but Wiedwald saw his place threatened this week when Bremen signed Jiri Pavlenka from Slavia Prague.

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Former assistant head coach Pep Clotet also served the final day of his Leeds contract yesterday and the 40-year-old Spaniard looks set to fill the vacant managerial position at Oxford United, who play the Whites in the final pre-season friendly on Saturday, July 26.

Leeds will begin their pre-season fixtures next Wednesday when they play Harrogate Town at Thorp Arch in a game which is being staged behind closed doors. United will then travel to Guiseley next Saturday.