Leeds United 'interested' in free agent Chelsea signed for £33m as Tottenham 'set' Joe Rodon price-tag

Leeds United dropped yet more points in the Championship promotion race after losing 1-0 at home to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. Sammie Sczmodics got the only goal of the game in the 82nd-minute to condemn Daniel Farke’s side to a first home defeat of the season at the worst possible time.

In another crazy week of Championship action, both Leicester City and Ipswich Town also dropped points and so it is still all to play for with just three games remaining. The first of those for Leeds will come at Middlesbrough next Monday and in the meantime, the YEP has rounded up some of the latest stories coming out of Elland Road.

Batshuayi ‘interest’

Leeds have emerged as a ‘surprise suitor’ for Michy Batshuayi and could reportedly sign the striker for free this summer. Turkish outlet Star reports that Batshuayi could leave current club Fenerbahce when his contract expires amid reports of interest from England.

Batshuayi joined Fenerbahce for around £3million in 2023, with Chelsea cutting huge losses on the £33m they spent on him six years prior. The Belgian was able to put recent struggles behind him in Turkey, registering an impressive 41 goals in 68 appearances across all competitions.

The report suggests that while Fenerbahce are considering a new contract, Batshuayi could move on and Leeds are said to be ‘interested’ in a free transfer if they are promoted to the Premier League. Patrick Bamford and Mateo Joseph are currently the only natural options at No.9.

Rodon price-tag

Joe Rodon is expected to leave Tottenham Hotspur permanently this summer. Football Insider reports that a move for the centre-back could be sealed for somewhere between £10-15m.

Rodon has been outstanding since joining Leeds on loan in the summer, becoming an almost ever-present starter since missing the 3-1 defeat at Southampton in September. The 26-year-old has been the one constant in the Championship’s best defence, partnering Pascal Struijk and then Ethan Ampadu.

Tottenham were open to selling Rodon last summer and little has changed on that front, and despite his excellent form, the Premier League side don’t look to have increased their valuation. It could be that Leeds will only be able to afford such a deal if they are promoted, however.