Leeds United face transfer battle as Borussia Dortmund and Lazio show interest in target

Leeds United will have to move quickly if they want to conclude a deal for AZ Alkmaar youngster Milos Kerkez as interest in the youngster intensifies.

Jesse Marsch is believed to be keen to add to his squad during the window and has already completed the signing of Austrian international defender Max Wober from RB Salzburg. But speaking earlier in the season, the American revealed he had discussed plans to make moves in what is notoriously a difficult month to do business.

He said: “We have targets. You know, I think we’re smart enough to know that in order to achieve our goals, we want to continue to look at every position and think about how we can move forward in the right way.

“We also know that I think we have some young talented players that will continue to draw interest and so trying to figure out how to keep those players, how long we can keep them, what can entice them to stay and what that means to the pieces that we might need moving forward.”

Leeds have already shown they are willing to take a chance on younger players in the transfer market, with 18-year-old forward Wilfried Gnoto showing signs of why Marsch was so delighted to conclude a deal for the former FC Zurich man in the final days of the summer transfer window.

And another swoop for a promising youngster has been reported in recent days with AZ Alkmaar left-back Kerkez said to have been watched by Whites scouts over the last month. The Hungary international joined the Eredivise club from Serie A giants AC Milan last January and has gone on to score three goals and provide seven assists in 31 appearances for Pascal Jansen’s side.

Sky Sports have reported the youngster is ‘in no rush to leave AZ’ as they continue their push for a place in next season’s Champions League - but reveal ‘his rising stardom has attracted even bigger clubs to watch him’.

Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid and Lazio are all named as possible suitors from around Europe but the Whites’ Premier League rivals Leicester City and Bournemouth are also said to be monitoring Kerkez’s progress, meaning Leeds may have to move quickly if they want to secure the young left-back.