EFL manager reacts to Leeds and PL interest in ‘Brilliant’ talent impressing scouts
MK Dons manager Russell Martin has admitted that he may have to accept losing Leeds United-linked defender Matthew Sorinola.
TEAMtalk reported on Sunday that the Whites are one of five Premier League clubs tracking the youngster who has left scouts impressed.
Martin claimed that the Dons don’t need to sell Sorinola, but if a substantial offer comes in for the 19-year-old, he may have no choice.
Speaking over the weekend to the MK Citizen, Martin admitted that nearly every side outside of the top-flight have to be considered as a “selling club.”
“We don’t have to sell, but every club outside the top four in the Premier League is a selling club because that’s the nature of the business,” he said.
“If we end up getting a valuation for any of our players, and it has to be big for players like Matty, and we get a substantial bid, I have to accept that might be one the chairman has to take.”
Martin has clearly been impressed with the breakthrough of the defender, and even admitted that he was close to being released recently.
“He has been brilliant,” he said. “He was on his way out of the club when we took over because he was only on a short-term deal. I believe in him massively.”
It has been an amazing turnaround from Sorinola, who was on the verge of being released before going on to earn the attention of Premier League clubs.
The 19-year-old has completed 855 minutes of action in his 11 League One appearances this season in his breakthrough year.
Given the effects of COVID-19 and having no fans at stadiums, many League One and Two clubs have struggled massively to stay afloat.
Martin admitted that selling three of his main players over the summer kept them afloat, so it appears that the desire to put more on the chopping block is low.
Leeds would have to put an attractive offer on the table for Sorinola, but with Niall Huggins signing a new deal recently, we don’t expect that to happen.
In other Leeds United news, Kinnear confirms Whites looking at the first stages of Elland Road redevelopment
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