Leeds United, Norwich City and Sunderland 'weigh up' move for £3.4m Burnley star with key Crysencio Summerville likeness

Leeds United are one of three Championship clubs thought to hold a ‘concrete interest’ in Burnley winger Manuel Benson, according to reports.

Benson has been on the fringes of first-team football at Burnley over the past year and was an unused substitute as his side kicked off their Championship campaign with a 4-1 win at Luton Town on Monday. The 27-year-old has fallen down the pecking order as part of a bloated squad under new manager Scott Parker and so could look to move on.

Wide reinforcements remain a priority for Leeds, with known interest in Norwich City’s Jonathan Rowe and early-summer links to Sheffield United-bound Jesurun Rak-Sakyi. And now The Express reports on interest in Benson, with Elland Road chiefs thought to be ‘weighing up’ a possible move for the winger.

The report suggests Burnley’s resolve could be tested in the final fortnight of the transfer window, with fellow Championship promotion hopefuls Norwich and Sunderland also keen. The former have entered the market for a winger in recent weeks amid ongoing speculation over the Leeds-linked Rowe, who will miss Saturday’s visit of Blackburn Rovers to Carrow Road after being removed from the first-team picture by manager Johannes Hoff Thorup.

While Benson has found minutes hard to come by over the past 12 months or so, the Belgium-born winger enjoyed a promising debut campaign at Turf Moor following his €4million (around £3.4m) move from Royal Antwerp in 2022. Under previous boss Vincent Kompany, he registered an impressive 11 goals and three assists in 33 league appearances on the way to the Championship title.

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A portion of those goals almost mirrored what became Crysencio Summerville’s signature move last season, albeit from the opposite side, with the winger cutting in from the right and curling wonderful efforts into the far corner with his left foot. He did so for consecutive games in April and earned plenty of praise from then-boss Kompany.

“It’s not a coincidence; it’s a skill he’s got,” the Clarets manager said at the time. “I can’t be handing solutions of how to deal with him, but it’s just the things he’s been doing since he was a kid. In the end it’s something he’s comfortable doing and he will get goals that way. What he’s done for us is fantastic and from our side, that’s all we want.”

Leeds are in the market for Summerville’s successor, following his £25m-plus move to West Ham United, but have the flexibility to replace him on either wing with Wilfried Gnonto able to switch between the left or right-wing as necessary. Brenden Aaronson can also play on the right and so strengthening on the left, with competition for Dan James, could prove shrewd.

It remains to be seen whether Leeds will turn interest into an offer, but Burnley might be minded to avoid doing business with a direct Championship promotion rival unless the fee can satisfy them. Farke has already insisted the Whites will not be strong-armed into over-paying for targets but that stance might be tested as the August 30 deadline closes in, with replacements for Summerville and Georginio Rutter - who looks set to join Brighton - needed as well as cover in central midfield and at full-back.