Leeds United news and deadline day reaction: Jean-Matteo Bahoya done deal, Melvin Bard first words
The latest Leeds United news and reaction from a busy transfer deadline day at Leeds United.
Leeds United’s summer 2026 transfer window is now officially over - and what a window it’s been.
The Whites welcomed a total of seven new faces through the door in all types of deals ranging from free transfers to club-record fees. Elland Road chiefs have been busy throughout and deadline day was no different.
News of Melvin Bard’s imminent loan move from OGC Nice broke the night before and continued to progress as the 11pm deadline edged closer. The left-back arrived in West Yorkshire in good time and his season-long switch was confirmed in the evening.
For a while, that looked to be about it for Leeds, with the expectation being Wilfried Gnonto would be recalled from a prospective move to Fiorentina. His exit would only have been sanctioned had a new winger been sought and that felt difficult to see.
But around teatime, reports emerged of a late-window move for Eintracht Frankfurt winger Jean-Matteo Bahoya. The approach was for a season-long loan that would include a permanent option, but time was ticking.
Leeds agreed the terms of a transfer with Frankfurt and had Bahoya on board, but with the 11pm deadline closing in they were forced to submit an infamous deal sheet to the Premier League. Eventually, 90 minutes past the deadline as half-past midnight, his arrival was confirmed.
The deadline day pair join Harry Wilson, Tarik Muharemovic, James Trafford, Nico Elvedi, and Michael Zetterer to make up the Leeds summer window class of 2026. Meanwhile, Elland Road waved goodbye to the likes of Joel Piroe, Pascal Struijk, Karl Darlow and most recently Gnonto.
It was a crazy day across the Premier League as huge transfers arrived and others fell through at the death. Below, we’ll keep you posted on the fallout from a Leeds perspective..