Leeds sign £34.1m defender Muharemovic

What the report says

BBC Sport Football reports that Leeds United have completed the signing of defender Tarik Muharemovic from Sassuolo in a deal worth £34.1m. The Bosnia-Herzegovina international, 23, has agreed a five-year contract at Elland Road, adding to Leeds’ defensive options ahead of the new season.

According to the BBC, Muharemovic arrives as a replacement for Pascal Struijk, who moved to Brighton in June for £20m. He is Leeds’ second addition of the summer transfer window, following the free-transfer arrival of Harry Wilson from Fulham. Muharemovic said he was determined to compete fully for his new club and stressed his desire to win, in comments carried by the publisher.

The defender has earned 17 caps for Bosnia and Herzegovina and featured three times at the World Cup, including the last-32 match against co-hosts the United States. BBC Sport noted that in that game he was fouled by Folarin Balogun, who was sent off, although the forward’s suspension was later waived by Fifa after intervention involving US President Donald Trump and White House officials.

Muharemovic was born in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and started his senior career in Austria with Wolfsberger in 2021. He later joined Juventus but did not appear for their first team, before moving to Sassuolo in 2025 after a successful loan. The BBC says Juventus are reportedly due 50% of the transfer fee because of a clause in last summer’s sale.