'Go and get him' - Leeds United urged to sign 28-goal star as Crysencio Summerville presence 'missed'
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Former striker Kris Boyd has urged Leeds United to push the boat out and move for Sammie Szmodics, with Crysencio Summerville’s goalscoring presence a big miss during Saturday’s 3-3 draw against Portsmouth.
Leeds endured a tough first game without Summerville to call on, following the Dutchman’s £25million-plus move to West Ham, and had to rely on a 95th-minute Brenden Aaronson effort to salvage a point at home to newly-promoted Portsmouth. Daniel Farke’s side dominated large parts of the game but wasted chances before sloppy moments allowed the visitors to capitalise.
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Hide AdAttacking reinforcements have become a transfer priority for Leeds since Summerville left, with recruitment chiefs turning focus on Norwich City’s Jonathan Rowe while there is also interest in Jesurun Rak-Sakyi of Crystal Palace. But after watching Saturday’s Championship opener, Boyd has suggested a more proven second-tier goalscorer could prove decisive in the promotion race.
“He is (a miss),” Boyd told Sky Sports Soccer Saturday of Summerville. “But if you look, [Glen] Kamara’s left, Summerville, Archie Gray’s left, you go right through the list, they’ve got money there. Why don’t you go and get a striker? You’ve got someone there, Sammie Szmodics, who scored the goals for Blackburn last year, can you go and get him?
“Because they created loads of opportunities but they never looked like scoring and it was all from [Wilfried] Gnonto or Dan James, the good work from them. [Jayden] Bogle got forward, Junior Firpo got forward, they put balls in the box but [Mateo] Joseph in the middle huffed and puffed but there wasn’t anything really there.”
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Hide AdThere were fleeting links between Leeds and Szmodics earlier this summer but the YEP understands he is not on the current list of potential options. Regardless, the 2023/24 Championship Golden Boot winner has been tipped for a Premier League move and has been subject to bids from Ipswich Town.
The Sun reported on Sunday morning that talks were ongoing between Ipswich and Blackburn over a deal, with a gap of just £500,000 in valuations. Kieran McKenna’s side are willing to pay an initial £8.5m but those in charge at Ewood Park are said to be standing firm on their £9m demand, plus add-ons.
Focus for Leeds is thought to remain on Rowe, who presents a more natural and long-term successor to Summerville out wide. Initial contact floated a value of around £7m but recent reports in France suggest it could take double for Norwich to come to the table.
Rowe withdrew from the Canaries squad for Saturday’s 2-0 opening-weekend defeat at Oxford United, having made the decision amid ongoing speculation over his future. It was a major surprise, given his form in pre-season and presence in a recent release of the club’s third kit, and head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup was far from pleased.
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Hide Ad“We have to solve it on Monday when we are in again,” Thorup told Sky Sports after Saturday’s defeat at the Kassam Stadium. “I can understand with these young guys, it's the first time there is media attention around them and some stories. I can completely understand but of course, I also let the players know I cannot understand that on game day you decide not to be in the team.”