Darren Bent drops Leeds United transfer verdict on Villarreal outcast Ben Brereton Diaz
Darren Bent has told Leeds United to make a move to sign Ben Brereton Diaz this summer if they are promoted to the Premier League.
The Whites will compete with Southampton in the Championship playoff final on Sunday 26 May at Wembley, with the winner taking the final Premier League spot alongside Leicester and Ipswich for next season.
Brereton Diaz spent the second half of the season on loan at Sheffield United from Villarreal, but after the Blades’ relegation he looks set to return to La Liga. And while appearing on talkSPORT (20 May) Bent told the promoted clubs to move for the Chile international as he is too good for the Championship.
“I like Ben Brereton Diaz,” he said. “If I am a newly promoted side going up, he is definitely one I would look at because his movement is good.
“He got six in 14. Nearly one in two. At Sheffield United. Come on.
“He went away to Villarreal, didn’t really play and then came back to Sheffield United. He is definitely one, if I am Ipswich, Leeds or Southampton. I think, yes, he is definitely I would say, yeah (too good for the Championship).”
Leeds United need a new striker this summer
This season Leeds have not had a problem with scoring goals, with Crysencio Summerville leading the way and all of Patrick Bamford, Joel Piroe, Daniel James and Georginio Rutter chipping in too.
But the problems have been that outside of Summerville the goals have been quite streaky, and without a reliable goalscorer in the Premier League the team could be in trouble.
Bamford’s injury problems have resurfaced once again this season and as he enters the final two years of his deal his future is up in the air, while Piroe had big periods out of the team despite his recent resurgence of form.
Brereton Diaz was in sensational form in the Championship with Blackburn before his move to Spain, but he struggled for regular game time there and then joined a struggling Blades team.
He couldn’t stop them being relegated but he scored goals and in a stronger Leeds team, the expectation would be even more goals. It’s certainly something to keep an eye on in the coming weeks and months.
In other Leeds news, Neil Warnock has predicted the playoff final clash v Southampton.
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