Sevilla are intent on putting Leeds’ resolve to the test and prising Kiko Casilla away from West Yorkshire, according to Football Insider.
The La Liga outfit are understood to be stepping up their efforts to acquire the former Real Madrid fringe goalkeeper, despite being informed by Whites chiefs that the 32-year-old was no longer for sale.
Casilla’s time at Elland Road had been in doubt after our promotion mission reached its end in the Play-Off Semi-Finals, but was believed to have been resolved with the club instead looking to offload Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
Sevilla, however, have their eyes fixed on Casilla being their low-cost replacement for Sergio Rico, and are believed to have presented the one-time Spain international with a lucrative contract in the hopes it would be enough to turn his head.
A Leeds source with knowledge of the approach is claimed to have told Football Insider that the advance fell short of Casilla’s £40,000-a-week Whites contract, however, with his deal in West Yorkshire set to run until the summer of 2023.
Sevilla are expected to approach Casilla again with an improved offer, as the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium natives are in talks behind the scenes to decide where they will draw the line in their advances.
An improved offer would also put Casilla’s aspirations to the test, as he would be returning to Spain only to serve as Czech Republic international Tomas Vaclik’s understudy, whereas he is set to be United’s undisputed number one having been given the apparent backing of Marcelo Bielsa.
What could come to Leeds saving, though, is that the understudy role would naturally come with a reduced wage, and Los Hispalenses current number one Vaclik earns £32,833-a-week, while their average last season was £49.7k-a/w.