It is no secret Leeds United want to sign a centre-forward capable of hitting double figures at Premier League level. It seems unlikely at this stage that Daniel Farke's side will be successful in their pursuit of Rodrigo Muniz.
Fulham have slapped a hefty asking price on Muniz and have already rejected a big-money bid from the Whites. Tottenham Hotspur are also big admirers of the Brazilian and are reportedly preparing to lodge a £32m bid for the player.
Now the Whites are said to be plotting a move for Josh Sargent after admitting defeat in their quest to sign Muniz. The USA international knows Farke well, having worked closely with him at Norwich City. Farke was a key figure in bringing Sargent to Norfolk for an initial £8.5m from Werder Bremen in 2021.
Burnley have reportedly joined United and Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg in the battle to sign Sargent, according to The Pink Un. The outlet states the Canaries are looking for offers in excess of £16m for Sargent, who is under contract at Carrow Road until 2028. Sargent has notched 44 goals in 98 Championship appearances.
Wolfsburg have yet to step up their initial interest in the 25-year-old following exploratory discussions after the end of last season while the Clarets are believed to closely monitoring Sargent's situation. Serie A teams are also said to be interested in the attacker.
“Josh has got three years left on his contract and whilst we understand that he's going to have interest in the market, and that's natural for a player of that level, we're in a strong position as a club," said City sporting director Ben Knapper last month. "Let's see how things develop.
“Somebody's going to have to come a big level, I think, to prise them away. There's another dynamic you have to consider, which is the player perspective. We understand where we sit in the broader kind of landscape, and that has to be a factor in what happens as well.
"If a player gets a fantastic opportunity to go and play in the Premier League or in a Champions League level, and a club steps forward with a proposal that is of a requisite level, then you have to be reasonable as well. That's just a dynamic that all clubs face when you've got good players in a good squad.”
Despite missing 14 league matches last term following groin surgery, Sargent was named in the Championship's team of the season. He was also named the club's player of the year.
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