Tarik Muharemovic to Leeds United is beginning to look more and more likely, according to Fabrizio Romano, who revealed that Leeds are ‘confident’ of sealing a move for the Bosnian defender. With a host of other Premier League clubs reportedly interested in the highly-rated 23-year-old, LWOS brings you the latest update.
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Tarik Muharemovic to Leeds United Latest: Whites ‘Confident’ of Sealing Deal But Face PL Competition
What Do We Know So Far?
According to Fabrizio Romano, negotiations are ongoing between Leeds and Sassuolo regarding a potential fee for the 23-year-old, who only joined the Italian club permanently last summer. Romano added that the Bosnian defender has ‘opened doors’ to a potential move to West Yorkshire, suggesting that the Whites are currently in pole position to land Muharemovic.
However, Daniel Farke’s side face stiff competition from other sides across the Premier League and Europe, with Bournemouth and Sunderland also expressing an interest in the Sassuolo man. Juventus also inserted a 50% sell-on clause into the 23-year-old’s contract when he left Turin, meaning they retain the option to pursue the centre-half themselves, possibly at a reduced price.
Muharemovic joined Sassuolo for around £1.7 million last summer, but could now cost the Whites at least £30m to bring him to Elland Road. With 32 appearances in Serie A last season and some impressive displays at this summer’s World Cup, it is no surprise that the defender’s price has skyrocketed.
Tarik Muharemovic to Leeds United: What Will the Defender Bring to Elland Road?
At 6’4” tall, the Bosnian is a towering physical presence at the back, and the fact that he is left-footed makes him an extremely attractive signing as Leeds look to replace the departed Pascal Struijk. The centre-half operated on the left side of a back three for Bosnia and Herzegovina during the 2026 World Cup, with the European side’s 5-3-2 formation matching Farke’s preferred system.
However, Muharemovic was thrust into the spotlight unexpectedly as the recipient of a foul by the USMNT’s Folarin Balogun, which saw the striker sent off. The subsequent ban from the red card was eventually suspended following intervention by US President Donald Trump, leading to allegations that FIFA president Gianni Infantino had breached political neutrality rules.
At just 23 years old, the defender has already amassed 17 caps for his country, and is one of Bosnia’s most important players. The former Juve man was born in Slovenia, the nationality of fellow Leeds centre-back Jaka Bijol, who also joined the Whites from Serie A.
Tarik Muharemovic to Leeds United: How Does He Compare to Pascal Struijk?
Replacing Pascal Struijk, who swapped Elland Road for Brighton this summer after eight years and 196 appearances for the club, was always going to be a key priority for Leeds this summer. Muharemovic is an inch taller than the Dutchman, both are left-footed, and both have experience winning promotion from the second tier.
The Bosnian initially joined Sassuolo on loan in 2024/25, where he played an important role in the club’s title-winning Serie B campaign, making 28 league appearances. After joining permanently last summer, the 23-year-old again played a key role as the Neroverdi finished 11th in Serie A, matching Struijk’s own journey from Championship stalwart to Premier League-quality centre-back.
According to FotMob, Muhamerovic had a 64.4% duel success rate last season, considerably higher than Struijk’s 55.6%, so his physical style of defending should make him ideally suited to the rough and tumble of the Premier League. Although famed for his aerial threat from set pieces, Struijk failed to find the net last season, whilst the Bosnian scored two goals from direct corners.
One area where Muharemovic may have to improve his game is with the ball at his feet, with Struijk’s calmness in possession and passing range making him a key part of Leeds’ setup with the ball. The Sassuolo man averaged 44.86 passes per 90 minutes at a success rate of 85.7%, which is noticeably lower than Struijk’s average of 49.86 passes at almost 89%, although this should improve as he gets slightly more experienced.
Featured image courtesy of Imago/Icon SportsWire
