Fabrizio Romano claims Leeds trying to sign Serie A star as Sunderland plan ‘official offer’
Fabrizio Romano has reported that Leeds United have joined Sunderland and Bournemouth in the race for Tarik Muharemovic.
Leeds are on the hunt for a new central defender following the departure of Pascal Struijk.
On June 30, Struijk left Leeds and joined Brighton and Hove Albion in a £20million deal.
Leeds manager Daniel Farke now has Jaka Bijol, Joe Rodon, Sebastiaan Bornauw and Maximilian Wober as his four recognised centre-back options.
Farke wants to add another centre-back to his squad, and transfer guru Romano has revealed that Leeds have set their sights on Muharemovic.
Muharemovic spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Sassuolo from Juventus before making the deal permanent.
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The 23-year-old Bosnia and Herzegovina international centre-back signed a new deal with Sassuolo in November 2025 and is now under contract at the Serie A outfit until the summer of 2031.
Muharemovic was part of the Bosnia and Herzegovina squad at the ongoing 2026 World Cup and made three appearances.
Leeds competing with Sunderland for Tarik Muharemovic
According to transfer guru Romano, Leeds have joined Sunderland and Bournemouth in the race for the 23-year-old centre-back.
Romano posted on X at 7:12pm on July 11: “EXCL: Leeds United also enter the race to sign Tarek Muharemovic as new centre back from Sassuolo.
“Bournemouth and Sunderland called over recent weeks; Juventus have to decide as they mantain 50% sell-on clause.”
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Romano’s revelation about Leeds and Muharemovic comes after the Italian media reported Sunderland’s “concrete interest! In the centre-back.
Italian journalist Lucas Cilli wrote on X at 8:31pm on July 19: “Confirmed the concrete interest of #Sunderland in #Muharemovic of @SassuoloUS as anticipated by @tvdellosport, in a list of suitors that also includes #Bournemouth.”
Fellow Italian journalist, Luca Cerchione, who has almost 35,000 followers on X, wrote on the platform at 6:24pm on July 10: “Sunderland’s push for Muharemovic.
“The English club has put on the table a five-year contract worth 3.5 million euros net per season to convince the player.
“Next week, the official offer will be presented to Sassuolo to kick off the negotiations.”
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