After a playoff semifinal heartbreak against Derby County last season, Leeds United are gearing up for yet another promotion battle under Marcelo Bielsa. But they must show strong intent in the transfer market to bolster the squad and add more firepower to their current set-up to challenge for the automatic promotion spots.
The Whites, however, are struggling in the summer transfer window to lure in new names as well as retain their prized assets amid interest from Premier League heavyweights. Teenage sensation Jack Clarke has been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur for a while, and according to the Daily Express, Mauricio Pochettino is closing in on a £15m swoop for the highly-rated starlet with a twist in the tale!
Spurs are set to tie down Clarke on a long-term contract but might send him back at Elland Road on loan for the forthcoming campaign. Despite making it to the final of the prestigious Champions League earlier this month, the Lilywhites are expecting a few exits within the next couple of months.
The North London side have identified the youngster as one of their prime transfer targets. Pochettino is hailed for promoting the youth, and the Whites prodigy holds all the attributes required to be a success in the Premier League.
Bielsa, meanwhile, handed him a senior debut last season to cope up with first-team injuries and the Leeds ‘wonderkid‘ (also on Manchester City’s radar earlier this year) proved to be an instant hit with an array of majestic performances. His speed, swift skills, dribbling traits and directness often disrupted the opponents’ shape at the back, and the attacker is tipped to flourish furthermore if handed more senior minutes during the upcoming term.
In spite of his on-field excellence, Clarke needs time to make it to Spurs’ first-team squad. But he might grab the same in West Yorkshire as the Whites would prefer to deploy him in place of Jack Harrison who is set to rejoin the Manchester City camp upon completion of a season-long loan.
Leeds United, a European powerhouse once upon a time, were destined to lose a player of Clarke’s stature to a top-flight outfit with superior spending power. However, they might still have him as a short-fix while fighting it out for a Premier League return. The Whites have been chasing the signing of Wolves outcast Helder Costa for quite a while, but the latest odds (Via Sky Bet) are backing Aston Villa as the favourites to wrap up a deal for the enigmatic winger.
