Phil Hay details key update in Leeds bid to sign Said Benrahma
Leeds United have cooled their interest in Brentford forward Said Benrahma, according to The Athletic journalist Phil Hay.
The Express reported earlier this month that Leeds were lining up a £20million bid for the 25-year-old Algeria international while Hay said that he is “the one” for the Whites this summer.
It seemed as though Leeds were poised to make a swoop for Benrahma but now, the ex-Yorkshire Evening Post journalist has offered a rather downbeat update on the pursuit of the Brentford star.
Writing on his personal Twitter account on Wednesday, Hay said: “They’ve gone a bit cold on Benrahma, or they had when I checked on that one on Monday.”
It’s not the update that Leeds fans were hoping for.
Benrahma lit up the Championship with his performances last season as he scored 17 goals and supplied 10 assists in 46 appearances in the league and the play-offs.
He showed that he has the ability to step up to the Premier League and we would be massively surprised if by the time the transfer window closes he is still a Brentford player in the Championship.
Sky Sports pundit and ex-Leeds player David Prutton has previously said on the Yorkshire Evening Post website that Benrahma is a “slightly more younger, dynamic version of Pablo Hernandez” who would be an “extremely decent” signing for Marcelo Bielsa this summer.
Hernandez is 35-years-old now and a long-term replacement for the Spanish wizard is bound to be someone who Leeds will try to bring in either this summer or next.
While Benrahma doesn’t play the same role that Hernandez now does, the Algerian has pace, skill and a killer instinct that would serve Leeds good in the Premier League.
Unfortunately, Hay’s update suggests that is very unlikely to happen.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites have made a bid to sign this 23-year-old English forward.