Leeds could trigger release clause to sign £25m Premier League player
da wazamba: Leeds United could trigger the release clause of an “excellent” Premier League player, who is now likely to leave his club this summer, according to a report.
Leeds eyeing proven Premier League players
da imperador bet: The three sides promoted from the Championship last season look like they will all be going straight back down, with Southampton sitting rock bottom, while Ipswich Town and Leicester City are currently five points from safety.
As such, you can make a case for it being more difficult than ever to make the step up back to the top flight, after dropping to the second tier, and with Leeds in a very strong position to get promoted, they are now eyeing players who have Premier League experience.
Former Chelsea man Tammy Abraham is one of the names on the list of targets in attack, while they are also considering a move for Southampton right-back Kyle Walker-Peters, who has made 140 appearances in the top flight.
Related Leeds expected to move for "fantastic" £15m striker; he's "keen" on joining
The Whites have been tipped to make a summer move for a forward who is excited by the prospect of moving to Elland Road.
Walker-Peters is not the only Saints player Daniel Farke’s side have their eye on, however, with a report from The Boot Room revealing they could trigger the relegation release clause written into goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale’s contract.
Ramsdale joined Southampton from Arsenal in a £25m deal last summer, but he is now likely to leave in the summer, with relegation from the Premier League looking increasingly likely.
There may be widespread interest in the Premier League, however, with Chelsea, Brentford and Newcastle United also being named as potential suitors.
Leeds United’s upcoming Championship fixtures
Date
West Bromwich Albion (h)
March 1st
Portsmouth (a)
March 9th
Millwall (h)
March 12th
Queens Park Rangers (a)
March 15th
Swansea City (h)
March 29th
Ramsdale has been "excellent" despite Saints' struggles
It has been a season to forget for Southampton, who have collected just nine points throughout the entire campaign, but their goalkeeper cannot be blamed for his side’s struggles, having been by far the most consistent performer in the squad.
Despite the Saints falling to a 3-1 defeat at home to Bournemouth earlier this month, Joe Hart lauded the 26-year-old’s performance as “absolutely excellent”.
The same can be said about the Englishman’s display against Brighton & Hove Albion last week, receiving by far the highest SofaScore match rating in the Southampton team after making eight saves, seven of which were from inside the box.
As such, although the former Arsenal man is set to have another relegation on his CV, he cannot be blamed for the Saints’ inevitable fate, and he deserves another chance in the Premier League.
There has been doubt about Illan Meslier for quite some time, with the Frenchman making some key errors this season, most notably in the 2-2 draw at Sunderland in October, and there are plenty of indications Ramsdale would be a great replacement.