Leeds United ‘appealing’ to Karamoko Dembele as Leicester City may now be out of transfer race
Carlton Palmer has backed sought-after attacker Karamoko Dembele to consider a move to Leeds United over Premier League suitors.
The former Whites midfielder told Football League World on 22 March that the “superb” Blackpool loanee would be “guaranteed more game time” at Elland Road, or Championship rivals Leicester City, suggesting that would make Daniel Farke’s side “more appealing” than the likes of Everton and West Ham.
The former Celtic youngster is on loan in League One from Brest in France, who are expected to be tempted to sell if a decent fee is put in front of them, after the 21-year-old made a big step forward this season.
HITC reported on 19 March that the “devastating” dribbler has impressed with a series of “dazzling” displays back in England and is attractive extensive transfer interest.
Palmer said: “Karamoko Dembele is attracting a lot of interest. He is on loan at Blackpool which has seen the 21-year-old excel, he has been in superb form for Blackpool this season. He has contributed to 19 goals across all competitions.
“This has brought him to the attention of West Ham and Everton, who are looking at the player. It will be interesting to see if they can make a deal with his present club to get him out. With his age at 21, he could be a possible top-flight player.
“Maybe a Leeds or a Leicester would be more appealing to a player in terms of him getting more game time. If he went to Everton or West Ham, he would be more of a squad player.
“It will be interesting to see what happens with him. He has done really, really well, and at the age of 21 I think he would look to go to a club perhaps like Leeds or Leicester where he will be guaranteed more game time if he moves.”
Leeds United can tempt ex-Celtic sensation after breakout Blackpool loan?
Farke’s squad is filled with attacking talent who have stood out during an increasingly impressive Championship campaign.
So while Palmer’s verdict would usually make sense the Whites are arguably one second tier side who a versatile attacking midfielder would still most struggle to break into.
Jaidon Anthony has been feeding on scraps all season on loan from Bournemouth and Willy Gnonto had to wait half the campaign to gain much prominence thanks to the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Dan James thriving.
For a while it seemed that the number 10 position was the one that had the biggest question mark while the manager was asking Joel Piroe to play there behind Georginio Rutter.
But once the German moved the club-record signing back and put Patrick Bamford in up front that route to the first-team for a player like Dembele has also been blocked.
With Leeds United in good position to gain promotion back to the Premier League this term it may be that the youngster isn’t ready to back the leap from third to top tier immediately, so perhaps he would make sense as someone to be signed and loaned out again.
He looks like having no shortage of options this summer so if Farke is interested he probably won’t have the luxury of waiting, although whether the Foxes will prove to be a threat is perhaps in doubt given their profit and sustainability issues.
The EFL hit Leicester with a transfer embargo on Friday night [Guardian, 22 March], and the club face the threat of points deductions in both the Premier League and the Championship so could be knocked out of the Dembele race entirely.
In other Leeds United news, Whites supporters will delighted when a new goal-scoring sensation arrives in the first team.
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