Leeds United are among a number of clubs to have shown an interest in Vitoria de Guimaraes youngster Marcus Edwards, according to a fresh report.
The Lowdown: Edwards shines abroad
The 22-year-old Englishman has flourished in Portugal since leaving Tottenham in 2019, scoring 16 goals and registering 14 assists for his current club.
Edwards is another example of a young English player thriving abroad after being given more first-team opportunities, as was the case with Jadon Sancho and now Jude Bellingham at Borussia Dortmund.
The former Spurs winger has made eight appearances for England’s under-20s, scoring twice in that time.
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The Latest: Leeds linked with move
According to Jornal de Noticias [via Sport Witness], Leeds were keen on signing Edwards in the summer, along with Olympiakos, Sporting CP and Porto.
Offers were turned down for the winger, though, and he now has a €50m (£42.7m) release clause in his Vitoria contract.
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The Verdict: Exciting long-term signing
Edwards is an intriguing player to keep an eye on, considering that his former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino claimed that he played like ‘the beginning of Messi’ back in 2016.
At 22, he could come in as a long-term acquisition for Leeds, potentially blossoming into a player who might go on to fulfil Pochettino’s substantial comparison to the multiple Ballon D’Or-winning Argentine.
Edwards’ current deal doesn’t expire until 2024, however, so that release clause would need to be triggered in what would be a club-record transfer for Leeds if it went through.
In other news, Leeds are reportedly keen on signing a Premier League player. Find out who it is here.