Leeds United have been eyeing a move to sign Genk attacker Joseph Paintsil and a further update has now dropped regarding his future.
How old is Joseph Paintsil?
The Whites have already brought in a number of key signings since the end of last season, as they look to finish the summer transfer window as the strongest-looking Championship team.
The likes of Ethan Ampadu and Joel Piroe have come in and added real quality to the team, and the fact that Wilfried Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra have stayed put at Elland Road so far also acts as a massive bonus. Last Saturday’s 4-3 win away to Ipswich Town steadied the ship after a disappointing start to the season, and the hope is that the Whites will now kick on further, potentially aided by some more late-summer signings.
Paintsil has been constantly linked with a switch from Genk in recent weeks, emerging as a primary transfer target, having scored 32 goals and chipped in with 25 assists in 143 appearances for the Belgian side.
Now 25 years of age, it looks as though a new challenge could be coming his way this summer, in what is an exciting update from a Leeds perspective.
Is Joseph Paintsil joining Leeds?
Taking to X on Monday, journalist Santi Aouna claimed that an agreement is in place between Leeds and Genk and also with Paintsil, although the player is “arguing” with Genk over “a loyalty payment”.
‘Leeds and Genk have an agreement for the transfer of Joseph Paintsil. The player has an agreement in personal terms. But the agent and the player arguing with Genk over a Loyalty Payment.”
However, since then Phil Hay has claimed that a transfer is at a standstill due to Paintsil and Genk.
Leeds have been pushing hard recently to acquire the signature of Paintsil, with the Genk man someone who may elevate them to another level and make them one of the most feared teams in the Championship, if they aren’t already.
His aforementioned goalscoring and assist tally for his current side highlight the end product he has in his game, and he is capable of thriving in both central and wide attacking roles, which is an added bonus.
A lack of firepower was painfully evident at Leeds far too often in the Premier League last season, with teenager Gnonto relied upon too often to provide a spark in their relegation campaign, but having Paintsil and Piroe thrown into the squad would give the Whites a very different look.
The 25-year-old has been hailed as “superb” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past, and he has nine caps to his name for Ghana, so Leeds would be bringing in someone who could be a shrewd signing for the next four or five years, helping them get back into the Premier League and making them an established top-flight side again.
If the Whites were able to seal the signing of Paintsil this week, and a few further additions, it could complete what has been a solid summer transfer window, at a time when the club simply had to nail their business after such a disappointing spell.
