With Leeds United now on course to achieve Championship promotion, the 49ers have reportedly already turned their attention towards summer arrivals, which could see a major talent arrive.
Leeds transfer news
A lot of Leeds’ summer business may depend on whether they make it to the Premier League. As things stand, the Whites sit top of the Championship, level on points above Leicester City who have a game in hand, and one point above Ipswich Town with it all still to play for in the final eight games of the season.
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He’s currently on loan from the Premier League.
If Daniel Farke’s side fall short in their push for promotion, then there’s every chance that the Yorkshire club are in for a chaotic season for all the wrong reasons at Elland Road, with the likes of Crysencio Summerville already linked with clubs such as Chelsea. That said, promotion would not only help ensure the futures of Leeds’ current stars but could also attract quality in the form of fresh faces.
The champions-elect have already been linked with a move for Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff, highlighting their current ambitions, and now reports suggest that they could move to sign an Atletico Madrid target.
According to GiveMeSport, the 49ers and Leeds could make an offer to sign Matt O’Riley from Celtic this summer after seeing a £10m offer reportedly rejected in last year’s transfer window. Now potentially going again, the Whites could hope to finally get their man.
It won’t be an easy deal to navigate, however, given that Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford also eyeing moves for the midfielder and Atletico Madrid saw their advances rebuffed in January, with Celtic then valuing O’Riley at £25m.
What is a boost is the fact that Celtic are reportedly tempted to sell the Dane this summer if they can generate enough money from his sale. So the ball is seemingly in Leeds’ and other interested parties’ courts in that regard this summer.
“Wonderful” O’Riley could star at Leeds
It’s a testament to O’Riley’s quality that he attracted interest from Atletico Madrid during the January transfer window and has continued to attract Premier League interest ever since. Among that interest though, Leeds will hope to tempt the 23-year-old into a surprise move to get a potential top-flight return off to the perfect start.
There’s no doubt that it could be quite the coup after the season that O’Riley has enjoyed, scoring 11 times and assisting a further 15 for a stunning 26 goal involvements. That number makes Brendan Rodgers’ praise no surprise. The Celtic boss said:
“I like him a lot. I think he is a really intelligent footballer. He is a top professional. He prepares his body well, and he prepares his life well. He wants to do well. He sets his standards high every day to be better. I really like him, his build-up play is good, he takes the ball, and he needs to work on his pressing and intensity, but he is a wonderful footballer, and he is a good guy as well.”
