Leeds United close to deal for Chievo striker Ekuban

The Elland Road club, who are set to finalise the arrival of midfielder Samuel Saiz from Huesca today (July 11), are aiming to push through the signing of Ekuban in time for their pre-season trip to Austria on Friday.

Ekuban - a strong, quick forward - is expected to undergo a medical in the next 48 hours having prepared to fly to England on the back of advanced talks between United and Chievo.

The 23-year-old is back at Chievo after scoring 17 goals on loan for Partizani Tirana in Albania’s top division last season.

The 2016-17 term was his fifth as a senior player on Chievo’s books but he has never featured for the Italian club’s first team and his move to Tirana was his fourth different loan spell.

Leeds want Ekuban to strengthen an attack which was dominated by Chris Wood’s 30 goals last term.

Wood became only the sixth player in United’s history to claim 30 in a single campaign but no other player at Elland Road reached double figures and Pablo Hernandez, Kyle Bartley and Souleymane Doukara were the club’s next highest scorers with six goals each.

Ekuban has 12 months left on his contract at Chievo and is understood to have made clear his desire to leave for England.

He is in line to become United’s seventh summer signing after Saiz, Mateusz Klich, Felix Wiedwald, Vurnon Anita, Pontus Jansson and Hadi Sacko.