Leeds United are already eyeing players from relegated Premier League clubs and teams who failed to gain promotion from the Championship.
It’s a method which can easily bear fruit and one Leeds United should be exploiting with each club needing to fill a financial hole after failing to claim or retain Premier League status.
The Whites need quality all over the park and there are bargains to be had both domestically and on the continent, and one player who has been linked is Southampton’s Mateus Fernandes.
The 49ers and Paraag Marathe have made Fernandes a priority signing for the Premier League, reportedly. He is the sort of player which makes sense for a club stepping up.
Leeds United told the cost of Mateus Fernandes from Southampton
The Whites aren’t the only interested Premier League party, with Crystal Palace joining Leeds in the Fernandes race recently. That complicates matters but Fernandes is someone Leeds fans are keen to add.
John Percy has the latest. He outlined the latest on a target with a growing list of Premier League admirers. The Telegraph journalist said: “Fernandes is another one. I think they looked at Fernandes in January actually as a potential.
“He’ll have a lot of interest but Southampton are asking for ridiculous money for players, so they’re not very easy to deal with at the moment, which is obviously what does happen at clubs when they just get relegated as a very sort of stubborn stance they adopt.
“To be fair he’s another brilliant player who will have a lot of competition.”
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The 20-year-old has bags of potential and was one of the shining lights in their relegation, which is why Premier League clubs are keen to see how he does in a better team with more quality around him.
Photo by James Holyoak/MB Media/Getty Images
Photo by James Holyoak/MB Media/Getty Images
Southampton midfielder Mateus Fernandes’ career stats amid Leeds interest
Lee Hendrie thinks a £30 million deal would be good for Leeds for Fernandes, but it could take more than that per Percy’s latest comments regarding the Portuguese midfielder.
Other sources state Leeds need to ‘get real’ about acquiring Fernandes, such is the level of interest and the sorts of fees being bandied around.
Team Appearances Goals Assists
Sporting CP B 22 1 4
Sporting CP 10 1 1
Estoril 35 1 3
Southampton 42 3 6
Portugal U-21 13 3 2
Mateus Fernandes’ stats (selected)
His output should increase in time and he has the ability to operate as a box-to-box midfielder or as an attacking midfielder. However, Leeds could be looking for a more experienced and proven player.
They need players who are oven-ready for their survival bid this season.