Leeds United remain interested in signing Ollie Watkins from Brentford this summer – that’s according to Phil Hay of The Athletic.
The Whites are a Premier League club again after a 16-year absence from the top-flight of English football whereas Brentford, Watkins’ current employers, missed out on promotion having suffered play-off final heartbreak at the hands of Scott Parker’s Fulham.
The 24-year-old, who began his career with Exeter City impressed during the 2019/20 campaign, scoring 26 goals and providing three assists in 50 appearances in all competitions (as per Transfermarkt). During a recent piece for The Athletic, Hay focused heavily on the Whites’ plans to recruit quality over quantity as they look to build the foundations for sustained success in the coming seasons.
The journalist also provided an update with regards to Leeds’ interest in Watkins.
He wrote: ‘Brentford striker Ollie Watkins continues to interest them and they are at the stage where pieces need to to start falling into place.’
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Watkins managed 26 Championship goals last season – 10 more than current Leeds forward Patrick Bamford and therefore, it could be argued he would be an upgrade on the former Chelsea striker.
According to a report from the BBC earlier this month, the player would be allowed to leave the Championship club for an offer of £18m or more, but despite Hay’s claim that the Whites are interested in landing the player, given the lack of progress so far, we believe they may not be willing to meet the aforementioned release clause at this time.
The Premier League season is just weeks away and it remains to be seen whether a deal can be agreed that would see the striker move to Yorkshire between now and the big kick-off.