Leeds United ‘barged aside’ in quest to sign Southampton striker Che Adams, Burnley now favourites
Leeds United have been “barged aside” in their quest to sign Southampton striker Che Adams this summer, according to TEAMtalk.
Burnley is now the most likely destination for the Scotland international, with Vincent Kompany making Adams the club’s number-one priority after the departure of Ashley Barnes.
The Whites have held a long-standing interest in the £12million forward, who is out of contract at St Mary’s in the summer of 2024, looking to sign him both last summer and in the January transfer window.
The 26-year-old has scored 31 goals from 145 appearances since joining the Saints in 2019, netting 12 Premier League goals over the last two seasons.
Pricey
Adams isn’t a name that would excite Leeds fans if they were still in the Premier League, but a drop-down to the Championship could help unlock this in-demand striker.
Although the Leicester-born attacker has never succeeded in reaching double figures for goals in a single Premier League season, he has always been a strong and dependable performer for the Saints over the last few years.
He is the style of player that the likes of Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch would have enjoyed working with due to his high-energy, pressing-orientated strengths.
However, the one major issue is the £12million asking price.
Leeds recently rejected a £10million advance from PSV Eindhoven for Crysencio Summerville, and it begs the question: Should Adams really be valued higher than the Dutchman?
With Burnley and Everton both interested in the striker’s services this summer, it would be easy for the Whites to be dragged into a mini bidding-war.
If that turns out to be the case, then this is a transfer for Leeds to steer clear of.
In other Leeds United news, official approval for the takeover could yet take most of the summer to arrive.