Leeds United in line for January windfall if Orta signing makes big money American transfer

Polish attacker Mateusz Bogusz endured a strange time of it while at Leeds United. He arrived at Elland Road as a January transfer, for an undisclosed fee, from Ruch Chorzów in his native country as one of two signings made by then director of football Victor Orta. Goalkeeper Kiko Casilla was the other. While Casilla went on to figure in the first team, Bogusz struggled to break into Marcelo Bielsa’s plans and made just three senior appearances, two of which were Carabao Cup starts and the other a substitute cameo in the Championship. His fellow Polish midfielder Mateusz Klich predicted big things for Bogusz at Leeds but Injuries did not help his cause.

Leeds sent the youngster out on loan, firstly to Segunda División side Logroñés, for whom he scored just once in 24 games, then to Ibiza where he spent two seasons in the Spanish second tier. An ACL tear and subsequent surgery cut short the Ibiza stint and Bogusz returned to Leeds but once again made little progress towards the first team picture. In March 2023 his anticipated exit was made official with a permanent transfer worth just under £1m to MLS outfit Los Angeles FC, where the now twice-capped Poland international has flourished.

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Twenty-four goals in 90 appearances have caught the attention of Scottish giants Celtic, who were linked with a January move for him, and now Liga MX side Cruz Azul are in talks for what could be a £7m-plus deal. Reports in the USA and Mexico say that talks have reached an advanced stage with Cruz Azul keen to add him to their attacking options as they go after the Clausura title.

The YEP understands that Leeds United inserted a sell-on clause in the deal that took Bogusz, now 23, to the MLS in 2023 and therefore stand to benefit financially should the forward get his latest move over the line this month.

As for Leeds’ own business, the results of a scan this week on Pascal Struijk’s hamstring will determine whether or not they need to dip into the January transfer window to sign central defensive cover. Boss Daniel Farke made clear after Sunday’s win over Sheffield Wednesday that he did not see Ethan Ampadu as the permanent solution to that problem, should Struijk be out for three months rather than three weeks. Leeds remain keen on Emi Buendia as an option at 10 but even though Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has opened the door to the Argentinian playmaker departing on loan, the Whites’ current belief is that LaLiga interest will prove too attractive.