LEEDS UNITED TARGET ADMITS HE TURNED DOWN ELLAND ROAD MOVE 6 YEARS AGO

Sweden U21 goalkeeper Noel Tornqvist is once again on the radar of Leeds United after turning down a potential move to Championship giants six years ago.

Reports emerging last week, via Swedish publication Fotbollskanalen, may have been the first Leeds United supporters had heard about Noel Tornqvist. But it’s certainly not the first he had heard of Leeds.

Speaknig to Varlden Inag, the Mjallby AIF goalkeeper admits that the Yorkshire giants contacted him regarding a potential switch to West Yorkshire when he was just 15 years of age, only for him to rebuff their advances.

When I was 15 years old, I was invited to trial training with Leeds in England,” Tornqvist explains, insisting that he has no regrets about his decision to stay at home in Scandinavia.

“I’m a family guy. Today, I can look back and see that it was probably the right decision for me.”

Leeds United back in for Noel Tornqvist

Should Leeds return for a now-21-year-old Tornqvist, however, the 6ft 6ins giant of a shot-stopper may be tempted to make a different decision this time around. Especially if Daniel Farke succeeds in guiding The Whites back to the top-flight at the first time of asking.

“I grew up with the English Premier League, with matches at four o’clock (Swedish time) on Saturdays,” Tornqvist adds.

“The atmosphere in the English arenas is something very special. To reach one of the top five leagues in Europe… that is probably my biggest dream.”

According to Fotbollskanalen, Tornqvist’s ‘dream’ may be one step closer to becoming reality. Leeds United sent scouts to watch the youngster during Mjallby’s recent Ekstraklasa clash with Elfsborg in Sweden’s top-flight.

‘There is interest’

“There is interest, absolutely,” explains sporting director Hesse Larsson. “We’ll see what happens. We haven’t received anything concrete. We have only received requests.

“There were four clubs that looked at him (against Elfsborg), and there have been clubs that looked at him before.

“I think we have a contract for four more years, I think,” Larsson adds. “It is difficult to answer, but we are happy to keep him for a while longer. Then we’ll see. It depends on what comes.

“No bids have appeared yet.”