Leeds United transfer deadline day news: Whites not commenting on reports Bamba Dieng deal has fallen through

DOUBTS: Despite Leeds United chairman Andrea Radrizzani's apparent confidence earlier in the day, it is not clear where Marseille's Senegalese forward Bamba Dieng will be playing

Having been rebuffed days earlier, Nice are thought to have returned with an offer which is expected to land the 22-year-old centre-forward when it looked as if he would be heading to West Yorkshire.

If it proves to be the case, the news could have a knock-on effect with Dan James said to be undergoing a medical at Fulham.

Radrizzani's reply to a tweet from a fan came just after 1pm but by early evening it looked as if Leeds were going to miss out on the forward.

Coach Jesse Marsch has for some time struck a cautious tone about the one piece of business outstanding from the Whites' recruitment plans, which saw Brenden Aaronson, Tyler Adams, Marc Rocca, Rasmus Kristensen, Luis Sinisterra, Darko Gyabi and Joel Robles signed with impressive efficiency.

Leeds had targeted Brugge's Charles de Ketelaere to be the extra centre-forward they looked short without last season, only for him to go to AC Milan instead.

It looked like a solution had been found when it was reported around mid-day that a fee of £8.7m plus add-ons had been agreed with Marseille, and even more so when Radrizzani tweeted about him.

But unless Leeds can do something in the last hours of the window, it looks as though they may have to go without an additional centre-forward.

Patrick Bamford, the first choice, has been dogged by a variety of injury problems since last September. Joe Gelhardt has been used sparingly but impressively at centre-forward since making his Premier League debut as a 19-year-old last season.

Sam Greenwood, who like Gelhardt is now 20, can play as a No 9 or ten and winger James, who is believed to have been the subject of deadline-day interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham, was often utilised in Bamford's place last term. Marsch even suggested recently Aaronson could be used as a "false nine" even though it is not his best position.

It is possible Leeds could now decide they cannot afford to let James go, having also apparently failed in their attempt to land PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo in this window.