Leeds United: Agent rules out Cellino reunion for Swedish midfielder

Ekdal, who represented Sweden at Euro 2016, was linked with Leeds over the weekend amid United’s protracted attempt to sign Liam Bridcutt from Sunderland but his agent, Martin Klette, told the YEP: “He would not play in the Championship.”

Ekdal is well known to Cellino having played at Cagliari while Cellino was owner of the Sardinian club. Cellino signed him from Bologna in 2011.

The 26-year-old, who started his career at Brommapojkarna in Sweden before winning a high-profile chance at Juventus, played for four seasons at Cagliari and earned a £4m move to the German Bundesliga last summer. His first 12 months in Germany were affected by injury, however, including a cut sustained in a nightclub incident in May.

Leeds want to add another central midfielder to their squad and the club have not given up on their long-winded pursuit of Bridcutt.

United and Sunderland have been at odds over the cost of buying him out of the last 12 months of his £26,000-a-week deal, with Sunderland looking to recoup a fee of around £1.5m.

Talks between the clubs were complicated further last week by the departure of Sam Allardyce from the Stadium of the Light and the appointment of David Moyes as his replacement, but Moyes’ decision to leave Bridcutt out of a pre-season tour to France confirmed that Bridcutt is surplus to requirements.

United boss Garry Monk said last week that the club were “close to a few” deals and actively working to make further additions before the season starts on August 7.

Leeds are also looking to strengthen their development squad in the coming days having run the rule over several trialists in pre-season.

Former Reading midfielder Conor Shaughnessy scored in a win at Tadcaster Albion last Tuesday.