Leeds United is apparently investigating a deal that would see them sign a striker who won the Bundesliga title this summer. However, the move might come at a price because there are rumors that the deal can only be completed if they consent to give up star winger Crysencio Summerville in a controversial trade.
The Whites, who were relegated after three seasons, are deep in the thick of a fierce competition for promotion back to the Premier League. With two games remaining, their current record of 90 points should have been sufficient to guarantee their return; however, Leeds United’s remarkable season in the Championship means that their push for promotion, along with those of Leicester and Ipswich, will most certainly come down to the wire.
With a nervous but exciting 4-3 victory against Middlesbrough at the Riverside on Monday night, Leeds returned to second place. The game was eventually a touch closer than the Whites would have liked.
And if they can record another win on Friday night – this time away at QPR – Daniel Farke’s side will have opened up a four-point buffer on Ipswich, who will have two games in hand and are next in action on Saturday night at Hull.
With Farke managing to find a winning blend this season, they will be desperate to ensure they do enough to secure a top-two berth and avoid the lottery of – or in Leeds United’s case, the expected misery of – the Championship play-offs.
Key to their success this season has been a fluid and mobile attack, which has seen the goals spread out across their strong options up front. And while Dan James and Joel Piroe are both in double figures for the season, their undoubted star is Dutch winger Summerville.
This summer, Summerville will be in high demand.
The Netherlands Under-21 international was just crowned the EFL Player of the Season after having a fantastic season with Leeds.
After demonstrating his exceptional abilities during Monday’s triumph in Teesside, the 22-year-old increased his total by two goals and one assist, bringing him close to the 30-goal mark for the season (20 goals, 10 assists).
It seems sense that the former Feyenoord youth product, who signed a sweet £1.3 million contract to join Leeds from the Eredivisie team back in the summer of 2020, has attracted a lot of interest given his performance.
In fact, teams like Tottenham, Newcastle, and Aston Villa have expressed interest, and there are also rumors that Liverpool is considering a move. In light of rumors that Raheem Sterling may move on, TEAMtalk exclusively disclosed that Chelsea has sent scouts to study the winger multiple times and has him on their list of possible summer additions.
But, Bayer Leverkusen, a dominant German team that was just crowned Bundesliga champions and astonishingly hasn’t lost in any competition this season, has recently shown the greatest interest.
It would be understandable that Summerville, who is under contract with Leeds until the summer of 2026, would be lured to join Xabi Alonso’s team given the opportunity to play in the Champions League.
But Leeds would not allow the star walk away without a fight, and if promotion is achieved, they will undoubtedly attempt to extend and renew his contract first.
Summerville was connected to a trade for the striker from Bayer Leverkusen.
Leeds currently value the winger, who was trained by Raphinha at Elland Road, between £30 and £40 million, which will probably be too much for the recently crowned Bundesliga champions.
But because to Leeds’ interest in Leverkusen striker Adam Hlozuk—who may be allowed to go this summer if the price is right—a solution might be ready to materialize, according to SportsBILD.
The Czech international, who had previously drawn interest from Arsenal and West Ham, relocated to the BayArena from Sparta Prague in the summer of 2022.
Hlozek has made 22 appearances in the Bundesliga this season, only four of which have come as starters, despite not being a consistent starter. Nevertheless, he has still managed to score seven goals in each of his two seasons.
It is now being said that the striker will probably become available this summer, and Leeds, who will need a new striker if they manage to return to the Premier League, is one of the teams that has been made aware of his potential availability.
Per their report, Leverkusen could accept a fee as low as €10m this summer for the 21-year-old who has 54 career goals to his name; a figure that has attracted both Roma and Lazio.
However, SportsBILD claims the strongest interest has come from Leeds and now the Bundesliga side are keen to exploit that by trying to secure the signing of Summerville as part of the deal.
That’s an offer Leeds are likely to resist, especially with Summerville currently having two years left on his deal.
But a failure to gain promotion could leave Leeds facing a difficult summer as far as Summerville is concerned, especially in light of Xabi Alonso’s wishes to sign him him for the reigning German champions.
