Leeds ready to bid almost £30m to sign Southampton star
Leeds United are set to be active in the summer transfer window.
Daniel Farke wants Premier League experience to add to his squad as they prepare for a brutal survival battle.
The Whites have been linked with the likes of Kostas Tsimikas and Beto to bolster their ranks after securing their place in the top-flight for the first time since the 2022/23 campaign.
However, they could also take advantage of relegated Southampton to sign a potentially elite star.
Leeds chasing Southampton star Fernandes
The Elland Road outfit are desperate for reinforcements to help their bid for survival and Mateus Fernandes fits the bill.
A report from Alan Nixon (23 May), via his Patreon, claims that the Whites are prepared to bid close to the £30million valuation that the Saints have set for the 20-year-old.
It states that Crystal Palace are also keen and that Aston Villa are also monitoring developments with the playmaker.
Farke needs attacking reinforcements at Leeds
There are huge question marks over the majority of the Peacocks' attacking talents at the elite level.
The likes of Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph have struggled to influence in the Championship at times are there are major doubts over their ability to do it at the top.
| Stats | Aaronson (Premier League 22/23) | Fernandes (Premier League 24/25) |
| Matches | 36 | 35 |
| Goals | 1 | 2 |
| Assists | 3 | 3 |
| Minutes played | 2,383 | 2,829 |
Meanwhile, Brenden Aaronson, Farke's main option in the number ten role is wildly inconsistent and could not cut it in his first stint in the division.
The American attacking midfielder notched just one goal and three assists in the 2022/23 season and an upgrade would give the Whites a major boost in their hopes of staying up, which promises to be a hard task given the fate of the newly-promoted sides in the past few campaigns.
Fernandes notched two goals and three assists while playing in arguably one of the worst sides in the history of the competition and has the potential to go up another level if the Yorkshire outfit surrounds him with quality talent.
It is a hugely important summer for the 49ers and Farke, signing Fernandes would be a gamble but he offers more than they have already got and could become a brilliant addition.