Rodrigo De Paul is the footballer who seems to have captured Leeds United fans’ hearts like no other transfer rumour in recent years.
Since his name was first linked with Elland Road last summer by the gossip columns of Italy, his profile seemed to tick every box for the Whites faithful.
The Udinese playmaker had the right nationality, position and statistics to have supporters drooling about the prospect of his presence in the middle of United’s midfield.
The fact he has kicked on again this season in Serie A has only fanned the flames of interest from Leeds fans desperate for the speculation to be true.
Unfortunately for those who think he would be the ideal fit, there has never been any real substance to the talk, which seemed to start with Udinese’s top brass.
Naturally, Victor Orta, as a director of football keeping an eye on Europe’s markets, is aware of De Paul and his qualities, but there has never been anything resembling serious talks up to now.
Andrea Radrizzani is well connected with the owners and directors across clubs in Italy. Of course, he knows and mixes in circles with those at the top of Udinese.
Those at the highest level inside Udinese were effectively trying to hawk De Paul around Europe last summer and looked to use Radrizzani’s name, along with Leeds, to drive the price up with clubs genuinely interested in the Argentine.
The Elland Road boss is not understood to have ever entered into any negotiations around De Paul then, since or recently.
The De Paul narrative, which refuses to die, all stems from another case of Leeds being used as leverage to drum up interest in a saleable asset.
