OPINION
Championship play-off rivals Preston have been named as the second tier club plotting a move to sign Leeds outcast Souleymane Doukara this summer.
Radio Yorkshire and talkSPORT broadcaster Mark Wilson reported via his personal Twitter account on Wednesday that a Championship club were considering a move for the 25-year-old without naming them.
Hearing that a championship club is considering a bid for Doukara….. #lufc
— Mark Wilson (@MarkWilsonRadio) August 16, 2017
He then Tweeted out on Thursday that it was Alex Neil’s Preston side that were plotting a move for the Senegalese frontman.
Just to clarify an earlier tweet it is my understanding that Preston are considering a move for Doukara #lufc
— Mark Wilson (@MarkWilsonRadio) August 17, 2017
Doukara has entered the final year of his contract at Leeds and has not been included in any of the club’s matchday squads this season after Thomas Christiansen took charge earlier in the summer.
Here, This Is Futbol examines whether a move for Doukara to Preston would be good for Leeds, and if a deal is likely to happen, bringing the versatile forward’s time at Elland Road to an end after three years.
Good move for Leeds?
The immediate concern over this deal is that Preston will be pushing for a play-off place this season much like Leeds after finishing in 11th place in the last campaign.
They also showed last weekend that they are capable of matching the Yorkshire giants on the pitch as the two sides played out a 0-0 draw and if Neil’s side had a goalscorer in their squad the outcome could have been entirely different.
Now, Doukara is not known to be prolific, but he could score some vital goals, winning Preston points on the board and possibly pushing them ahead of Leeds.
However, on the other hand the Senegalese is in the final year of his contract at Elland Road and if he is not sold this summer then he will move away in the next one on a free transfer.
Therefore, while Leeds receiving some sort of fee for the attacker would present very good business they should also refrain from strengthening a close league rival and they may have to risk losing him on a free.
This Is Futbol rating: 5/10.
Likely to happen?
With the additions of each of Caleb Ekuban, Samu Saiz and Ezgjan Alioski seeing Leeds fall down the pecking order it is entirely plausible that Doukara will be sold this summer alongside his contract situation.
The attacker was a firm favourite under former boss Garry Monk, playing 39 times in all competitions in the last campaign and returning six goals and four assists.
However, it is clear that he is not favoured by Christiansen and it is very much possible that Leeds will just be happy to receive a fee for Doukara this summer no matter the club.
This Is Futbol rating: 8/10.