Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa is eyeing a move for Blackburn Rovers star Ben Brereton.
What’s the story?
With the Whites still having yet to clinch a new signing ahead of the start of the Premier League season, Victor Orta will be hoping to get things underway at Elland Road as soon as possible.
And, according to the Chilean publication, Red Gol, Bielsa is interested in signing Brereton this summer.
Would you take Brereton at Leeds?
Yes!
No!
The report adds that the versatile 22-year-old has been on the Leeds boss’ radar since a couple of seasons ago when they met in the Championship, while there is said to be positive relations between the Whites and Blackburn Rovers.
Shrewd signing for Bielsa
Able to play as a number nine, but also out wide on both flanks, Brereton enjoyed his most prolific campaign to date in the Championship with Blackburn last season, bagging seven goals and providing five assists in 40 league games.
Dubbed a “wonderful talent“, his Rovers manager, Tony Mowbray, said: “Brereton’s like a beast now, and he can score goals. I see it every day in training. He’s a brilliant lad and all our lads absolutely love him. He’s filled out now and he will work so hard for this team. He’s very gifted and can score goals.”
Meanwhile, Brereton’s Chilean compatriot, Carlos Villanueva, said: “He’s going to make a good contribution to the national team, especially in a position where we had been looking for variants years ago. There has always been talk of that spare 9 and he gives you different characteristics… He comes from a football much more physical than the South American. He also has Chilean and South American blood, which puts in and fights.”
The £4.5m-rated ace sounds like the kind of give-it-his-all player that Bielsa wants in his squad at Elland Road, and at just 22, is still nowhere near the prime years of his career.
Given that the Leeds boss apparently wanted him years ago too, a move for a more well-rounded Brereton now – and especially off the back of his most exciting campaign – seems like it could well be a shrewd deal for Leeds.
Meanwhile, Leeds must land this EURO 2020 star…