MK Dons striker Max Dean enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in League Two last season and the club’s head coach Mike Williamson is wary that the 20-year-old could be a target for rival clubs.
Dean had his first extended experience of senior football at Stadium MK last season as the club missed out on promotion via a heavy play-off defeat to Crawley Town. The former Leeds United forward was a bright spark, scoring 19 goals in 34 appearances in all competitions, recorded by Trasnfermarkt.
It was a major improvement from the striker’s difficult previous season with the Dons in 2022/23. Dean joined the Buckinghamshire outfit from Elland Road in January 2023 but only made nine appearances and scored just one goal as the club were relegated from League One.
Ultimately, the improved form and a proven eye for goal have seen the 20-year-old’s valuation increase. According to Transfermart, Dean is currently valued at just over £250,000.
When speaking to the Milton Keynes Citizen on MK Dons’ chances of keeping Dean in the summer transfer window, Williamson admitted that the player’s potential will naturally breed interest. However, the former Newcastle United defender also stated that the Dons will do all they can to retain their talented striker.
“We love him to bits and his ceiling is as high as it can be, but I can’t say more than that. We’d love to keep him but because of what he did last season, it will obviously attract attention, so we’ll have to wait and see.”
Dean struggled to breakthrough into the Leeds first-team after coming through the club’s academy system. However, he impressed at youth level, making 32 Premier League 2 appearances and scoring 13 goals.
Writer’s View
Dean has clear goalscoring potential and his last 18 months at MK Dons have proven his ability to perform in League Two. The 20-year-old has turned into a vital player for Williamson as the striker and Alex Gilbey (13) scored over a third of the Dons’ 83 league goals in 2023/24, as recorded by Whoscored.
Moreover, Williamson’s admission shows how much he wants to retain Dean in this transfer window and another season of development may not be the worst thing for the highly-rated youngster. He will likely continue to get game time and develop in League Two this season. However, more success in the first half of the 2024/25 campaign is likely to attract serious attention from rival clubs.
