Leeds United have "serious interest" in Brazilian international as they aim to avoid Cody Gakpo repeat

David Ornstein reports that Leeds are one of the clubs in the running for the 23-year-old who joined Atletico on a five-year deal last summer. He made his senior debut with Sion in Switzerland before moving to RB Leipzig in 2018.

Reports emerged last week that he was a player being eyed by Leeds but the Elland Road outfit are likely to face competition for the player in the transfer window next month.

He worked with Jesse Marsch at Leipzig before joining Hertha Berlin in 2020. He has eight international caps for Brazil but missed out on a place in the squad for the World Cup in Qatar after failing to play a complete 90 minutes in a league game for his club side this term.

Leeds have been linked with a new forward player in January following more injury trouble for Patrick Bamford after he required minor surgery which ruled him out of the club’s training camp in Spain.

Earlier this month, Marsch revealed the club were ‘99.9 per cent’ of the way to completing a move for Netherlands star Cody Gakpo in the summer – but admitted the player is probably out of reach after starring for his national side in Qatar

Marsch spoke to the player on deadline day but a move failed to materialise as Leeds secured a deal for Italy international Willy Gnonto. Gakpo scored three times in five appearances in Qatar as the Netherlands lost to Argentina on penalties in the last eight.

Marsch admitted his form at the tournament coupled with his displays for club side PSV Eindhoven has likely took him out of the Whites’ price range. He said: "It's difficult for us at Leeds because I think Gakpo's gotten out of our price range.

"I mean, we were so close to securing a transfer for him in the summer, it was so close, and now obviously it's disappointing. Our sporting director was in Holland meeting with the family, they had agreed on terms, on everything, was talking with PSV. I mean, we were 99.9% [of the way there]."