Queens Park Rangers could miss out on signing Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Marc Leonard this summer as rival suitors are “pushing harder”, according to the latest reports.
It was revealed last week by Sky Sports News that recently-relegated League One side Birmingham City have joined the race for Leonard’s signature this summer, while newly-promoted third-tier outfit Wrexham and Championship sides Cardiff City and Oxford United have also registered interest in the 22-year-old.
However, Sky Sports also claimed that Birmingham have made contact with the Premier League club over a potential deal involving Leonard. Nevertheless, other clubs have been in the running for quite some time, including Portsmouth, Derby County, Plymouth Argyle, Preston North End and Swansea City.
Journalist Darren Witcoop released a report earlier today which said that Brighton are willing to sell the midfielder in this transfer window for a fee of £400,000 and that there were currently six offers on the table for the Seagulls’ highly-rated academy product.
In addition, Witcoop revealed that Queens Park Rangers are keeping an eye on his situation on the south coast of England but other suitors are “now pushing harder” to win the race for Leonard’s services. As a result, the West London club are likely to miss out.
Leonard had a superb season in League One with Northampton Town as he scored five goals and recorded six assists for the Cobblers who finished in mid-table. He still has one year remaining on his contract with Brighton so any club will need to pay a fee to take him off their hands.
Writer’s View
Queens Park Rangers boss Marti Cifuentes is looking to bolster his midfield department this summer. The club have been linked with a number of players who could excel in the middle of the park and Leonard is just another name on their list.
Nonetheless, it seems as though QPR are not overly fussed about signing Leonard. Other names on the club’s shortlist include Isaac Hayden, who spent the second half of this season on loan at Loftus Road, while Paris Saint-Germain star Ethan Mbappe has also been linked with a move to the Hoops.
