Leeds United 'enter late race' for £5m Chelsea star amid Cameron Archer hope
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Leeds United have been linked with a late move for promising Chelsea youngster Marc Guiu ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline.
Elland Road recruitment chiefs have made clear their desire for a striker amid ongoing interest in Cameron Archer. Reports earlier this week claimed a loan approach had been rejected by Southampton and the YEP understands Leeds will persist in their chase of the 23-year-old, with hope a domino-effect may soften the Premier League club’s stance.
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Hide AdBut as things stand, Southampton don’t appear open to losing Archer and so Leeds look to scoping out alternatives, with Chelsea’s Guiu emerging as a possible target on Sunday morning. The Sun on Sunday claim the Spanish striker could be on his way out of Stamford Bridge before Monday’s 11pm deadline, with Championship interest intensifying.
West Bromwich Albion have been heavily linked with a move for Guiu in recent weeks but earlier this week confirmed the loan signing of Tottenham Hotspur striker Will Lankshear, while Middlesbrough are also thought to be interested. But amid uncertainty over Archer, Leeds could now enter the race late with the report claiming they are ‘tracking’ the situation down in London in case they need to move quickly.
Guiu only joined Chelsea from Barcelona in a £5million deal last summer, but his immediate future has been subject to speculation all month, with two Premier League appearances totalling just 34 minutes. The 19-year-old has been a regular in Enzo Maresca’s heavily-rotated Europa Conference League squad, however, bagging an impressive six goals in as many appearances.
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Hide AdThose European performances have fuelled calls from Chelsea fans for Guiu to get a more consistent shot at Premier League football, but the former La Masia prospect remains behind Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku in the No.9 pecking order. Speculation surrounding the latter might encourage the Blues to keep the £5m summer arrival but should Nkunku stay, a late move could open up.
While regular Premier League minutes have not been forthcoming, Guiu has continued to impress at Chelsea not just for his goals, but for his pressing ability from the front - something Leeds value in their No.9. And speaking ahead of his side’s Monday night meeting with West Ham United, Maresca heaped praise on his teenage prospect.
"Marc is improving a lot, to be honest,” he said. “He is doing fantastic; day by day, he is getting more and more ready for that sort of game but sometimes the decision is because I see something and sometimes it is good, sometimes it is not. For sure, Marc, I think day after day, he is more ready."
Whether Leeds push ahead with late interest remains to be seen but that will likely depend on how their pursuit of Archer plays out. There is hope deals higher up the Premier League will allow Southampton to land targets of their own, opening the door for the out-of-favour Whites target to leave.
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