Leeds United and Sheffield United transfer 'target' now available as fee hopes revealed

Leeds United may have to dig deep in order to secure the services of Liam Millar, according to reports in Switzerland. The Whites are one of several clubs said to have shown an interest in signing Millar, who spent last season on loan at Preston North End.

Sheffield United and Burnley are also said to be keen on the Canada international and it seems as though FC Basel would be more than willing to do business this summer. That's according to Swiss outlet Nau, who suggest Basel are asking for a fee that is significantly higher than this market value, which is said to stand at around €2.5m (£2.1m).

However, the report also claims that such interest suits both Millar and the club, with Basel keen to make a profit on the man they paid Liverpool €1.5m for back in 2021. The 24-year-old is currently away with Canada at the Copa America, where he is playing a key role under ex-Whites boss Jesse Marsch, but when he returns from the action in the USA his future is likely to be a focus.

The left winger made 35 appearances for the Preston under Ryan Lowe last season after joining the club in the closing stages of the summer transfer window. He scored on his debut, too, as he bagged the decisive goal in the win over Plymouth Argyle in September.

Ultimately, that effort was the first of five goals he notched for the Lancashire outfit and Leeds fans might remember the 89th minute winner he scored against the Whites at Deepdale on Boxing Day. He recorded five assists, too, to underline his ability to create and carve out chances in the Championship.

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Speaking about the possibility of signing Millar permanently, Lowe said towards the end of the Championship season: "Liam has had a fantastic season for us, which we knew he would. He’s been missed of late, because he’s a fantastic player.

"But, all we can do is potentially put our best offer on the table. He knows that we’d love to keep him and I think Basel know we’d like to keep him. It’s easy for us to say we want to keep him, but I think Liam’s type of contract suits into the way we work.

“So, he is affordable, 100 per cent - but it’s whether he’s affordable to buy. It is whether Peter can thrash a deal out with Basel, and his agent, over it. I am sure there will be other clubs interested in him, but we have a value and if the value is way above then ultimately, you can’t do anything about it. But, Liam has loved his time here, wants to stay here - has said he’d love to stay - but it’s whether we can thrash a deal out with his parent club.”

Last season was his first in the second tier, but he certainly doesn't lack experience and has almost 200 career appearances under his belt at club level alone, not to mention the 26 international caps he has collected. Most of those outings have come in the colours of Basel, where he was a regular for two seasons before his loan to the Championship.

The Toronto-born man started his senior career at Liverpool, but he left Anfield in 2021 having made just one FA Cup appearance for the Reds.