Leeds United ha ufficialmente ingaggiato il difensore bosniaco Tarik Muharemovic, proveniente dal Sassuolo, con un contratto quinquennale. Il cartellino ammonterebbe a 40 milioni di euro (46 milioni di dollari), una delle operazioni più significative della sessione estiva.
Il difensore di 23 anni è diventato noto durante i Mondiali 2026 per l'incidente con Folarin Balogun degli Stati Uniti, che gli pestò la caviglia durante gli ottavi di finale e fu espulso dopo l' VAR. Il presidente Trump intervenne presso il presidente FIFA Infantino per evitare la squalifica di Balogun, che poté così giocare nei sedicesimi contro il Belgio, partita persa dagli USA per 4-1.
Muharemovic aveva vinto la Serie B con il Sassuolo in prestito dalla Juventus nel 2025. Il Leeds, sedicesimo in Premier League nella prima stagione di ritorno in massima serie, è di proprietà dei 49ers Enterprises, il braccio investimenti della franchigia NFL dei San Francisco 49ers.
Fonti
- [AP News](https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-bosnia-muharemovic-balogun-leeds-eff796e6f8af66de9a27720d88e39515)
Leeds sign Bosnia defender Muharemovic from Sassuolo for €40m after World Cup red card controversy
Leeds United have completed the signing of Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic from Italian side Sassuolo on a five-year deal. The transfer fee is reportedly worth 40 million euros ($46 million), making it one of the most significant acquisitions of the summer window.
The 23-year-old centre-back arrives at Elland Road with a reputation forged in controversy at the 2026 World Cup. During the round-of-32 clash between the United States and Bosnia-Herzegovina, Muharemovic was on the receiving end of a stamp from US forward Folarin Balogun, who was shown a red card after a video review. The incident ignited a political firestorm when US President Donald Trump intervened to pressure FIFA president Gianni Infantino into not suspending Balogun for the subsequent round-of-16 match against Belgium — a game the Americans lost 4-1.
Muharemovic had earlier been sent off in Bosnia's 4-1 group-stage defeat to Switzerland but returned for the knockout tie against the US. His performances at the tournament, combined with a title-winning loan spell at Sassuolo in Serie B during the 2024-25 season — a move originally arranged from Juventus — attracted attention from across Europe.
Leeds, who finished 14th in the Premier League in their first season back in the top flight, are owned by 49ers Enterprises, the investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers NFL franchise. The club are looking to consolidate their position in England's top division and see Muharemovic as a key part of their defensive rebuild.
Sources
- [AP News](https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-bosnia-muharemovic-balogun-leeds-eff796e6f8af66de9a27720d88e39515)
