Blackburn Rovers face ‘massive fight’ to keep Ben Brereton Diaz as Leeds United line up January move
Blackburn Rovers face a “massive fight” in their bid to keep hold of Leeds United target Ben Brereton Diaz, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.
Brereton Diaz, 22, has lit up the Championship for the Lancashire side this season, scoring 16 goals in 20 games, while the Stoke-born forward has been making waves over in South America for Chile, with three goals this year.
Speaking on ‘Touchline Talk’, as shared on the Oddschanger Twitter account, Eurosport journalist Jones has delivered an update on Brereton’s situation as he heads into the final six months of his Rovers deal.
“They’re facing a massive fight to keep hold of him,” he said.” They’ve been in talks for a couple of months, as I understand it, to try to get him onto new terms, on a new, improved and extended contract.
“At the moment I’m told there’s no real indication that he is set to sign so that, so it is slightly worrying for Blackburn and there’s not really much you can do in that situation now, you’ve just got to wait to see if this interest actually comes through to anything.
“Leeds, what I’m told, are a club that really are taking this seriously and looking to see how this situation plays out and in January perhaps we could see Leeds going for him.”
Clinging on
It’s no wonder Blackburn are fighting tooth and nail to keep hold of Brereton Diaz, who has been outscored only by Fulham’s Aleksandr Mitrovic in the Championship this season.
After a disappointing start to his Ewood Park career that yielded just nine Championship goals in his first three seasons, the Chile international has sparked into life, domestically and on the international scene.
Qualifying for the Chile national team via this mother, Brereton Diaz scored a winner in their Copa America victory over Bolivia in June, adding to his international tally in victories over Paraguay and Venezuela in October.
Now, Leeds are reportedly are pursuing him with a view to a January move for the “powerful” [Blackburn Rovers club website] attacker.
It’s a move that would make a lot of sense given the Whites’ struggles at the top end of the pitch this season, with too much reliance placed on the shoulders of Raphinha in the absence of Patrick Bamford.
Rodrigo and Tyler Roberts have not been convincing at centre-forward, and Brereton Diaz would arrive in a confident mood.
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