Leeds keen on swoop for “impressive” £12m star

Leeds United’s promotion chances were hit with a significant blow on Saturday as the club confirmed that Crysencio Summerville had left to join West Ham United.

The Whites revealed that an exit clause in the Dutch forward’s contract had been triggered and he will now be competing in the Premier League next season.

Daniel Farke’s side fell short at the final hurdle last term, losing in the play-off final to Southampton at Wembley, and they must now compete in the Championship again in an attempt to return to the top-flight.

However, alongside Summerville, they have also lost Archie Gray, who joined Tottenham Hotspur, and Glen Kamara, who moved to Ligue 1 side Rennes, from their squad.

They have, though, signed Joe Rodon on a permanent deal from Spurs and landed Jayden Bogle, Alex Cairns, and Joe Rothwell to bolster the squad.

There is still a few weeks left to go before the summer transfer window officially closes for business and Leeds are still eyeing further signings to come in and improve Farke’s options across the pitch.

Leeds interested in Premier League starlet

According to The Athletic, the West Yorkshire outfit are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a potential swoop for Liverpool central midfielder Bobby Clark.

The report claims that the Whites are keen on the English youngster, as Farke looks to add to his midfield options, but they are facing plenty of competition.

It states that Austrian side RB Salzburg have already had an offer of £6m turned down by the Premier League giants, who are looking for a fee in the region of £12m to sanction a permanent departure.

The Athletic reveals that a loan is more likely for Clark at this moment in time, as they look to send him out on a temporary basis to aid his development.

Fellow Championship teams Coventry City, Norwich City, and Sheffield United are also said to be eyeing up a loan swoop for the talented whiz, alongside Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers.

This shows that it will not be easy for Farke and Leeds to secure an agreement to sign the central midfielder, as there are plenty of other clubs at a similar level who are vying for his services.

If the Whites do end up winning the race for the Liverpool prodigy, though, then he could be a dream for one of the stars of pre-season – Mateo Joseph.

Mateo Joseph’s huge potential for this season

Last season may have been a slightly frustrating one for the Spanish youth international due to his lack of regular minutes on the pitch in the first-team.

Despite scoring two goals against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup in February, Joseph did not start a single game in the Championship.

All 20 of his appearances in the division came as a substitute and he scored one goal in that time, finding the back of the net against Watford off the bench.

His phenomenal goalscoring record at youth level for Leeds, with 19 goals and three assists in 33 outings for the U21s, suggested that there was far more to come from him than was seen on the pitch in the second tier last term.

That has been evident throughout pre-season as the Spain U21 international grasped his opportunity as a starter for the first-team in the friendly matches.

As you can see in the clips above, Joseph plundered four goals against quality opposition in Hannover, Schalke, and Valencia in recent weeks, the latest of which was a terrific touch and finish at Elland Road against the Spanish side.

Whilst it remains to be seen if it will translate to competitive football, the 20-year-old star’s pre-season exploits suggest that it could be a huge season for the young striker.

This could be his year to nail down a place in the starting XI and prove that he can find the back of the net on a consistent basis at first-team level, as he did for the U21s.

In order to showcase the best of his goalscoring abilities in the final third, Joseph will need support from his teammates and Liverpool talent Clark is a player who could help his fellow young prospect.

Why Clark would be a dream for Joseph

In the 2023/24 campaign, no central midfielder for Leeds managed more than one goal or more than three assists in the Championship for Farke.

The only number eight who produced more than one assist – Kamara (three) – has also moved on from Elland Road to sign for Rennes on a permanent deal.

These statistics suggest that the Whites currently lack a player who can contribute at the top end of the pitch from a central midfield position, which could leave Joseph short of service from that group of players.

Clark, however, is a central midfielder with the potential to make a big impact in the final third, based on his limited minutes at first-team level for Liverpool and his form in their academy.

The 19-year-old dynamo, who was once described as “very impressive” by journalist Josh Bunting, plundered 18 goals and 11 assists in 64 appearances for the Reds at U18 and U21 level combined before his senior breakthrough.

Clark was handed a number of opportunities to impress by Jurgen Klopp in the 2023/24 campaign and racked up one goal and two assists in 14 outings, with two of those contributions coming in the Europa League.

As you can see in the table above, the teenage starlet caught the eye in his two outings in Europe, dominating opposition players off the ball and making an impact in the final third in possession.

His statistics for Liverpool at youth and senior level suggest that the potential is there for him to arrive at Elland Road as a midfielder who can push forward to make things happen at the top end of the pitch.

Therefore, Clark would be a dream for Joseph as he could supply the striker with plenty of chances to find the back of the net, whilst also potentially taking some of the pressure off the 20-year-old by chipping in with goals of his own.