Report: Leeds United eye sensational transfer swoop for striker once valued at £100m - price-tag now halved

Leeds United have been linked with a big-money summer move as reports emerge of interest in Evan Ferguson.

Elland Road recruitment chiefs hope the upcoming summer window will be spent recruiting for Premier League survival, with Leeds currently top of the Championship with four games remaining. Saturday’s 2-1 win over Preston North End sent them five points clear of Sheffield United and seven more would virtually guarantee promotion.

Should Leeds secure a spot in the top-flight, then several positions will require investment and a top-level No.9 is expected to become a big priority, with reports now emerging of interest in one of the Premier League’s most promising youngsters. TEAMtalk claim the Whites are ‘keeping tabs’ on Brighton and Hove Albion forward Ferguson, although they will face stern competition for his signature.

The report centres around interest from Everton, who look set to lose Dominic Calvert-Lewin once his contract expires this summer. The Toffees are long-time admirers of Ferguson and considered signing the 20-year-old in January, but he eventually joined West Ham on loan.

Leeds United linked with transfer interest in Evan Ferguson

Ferguson hasn’t hit the ground running at West Ham and is yet to score for his loan club, with a permanent move to the London Stadium unlikely. And despite the Republic of Ireland international’s massive potential, the report suggests Brighton would be open to a sale with Leeds to ‘rival’ Everton for his signature if promoted.

Ferguson was only recently on the radar of top Premier League clubs including Manchester United and Chelsea, with reports last year suggesting Brighton valued their young striker at a whopping £100million. Injury issues have unfortunately dented his development, however, and TEAMtalk now claim Amex chiefs would demand £45m - less than half of his previous price-tag.

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The report adds that Ferguson would be ‘open’ to joining Everton this summer, a suggestion he could look to leave Brighton in a bid to become the main man elsewhere. There is no clarity on whether the 20-year-old striker would share that stance with a newly-promoted Leeds side.

As for Leeds, the likelihood is they are ‘keeping tabs’ on a number of striker options, particularly ones like Ferguson who appear willing to leave their current club. January interest in Cameron Archer highlighted their desire to sign a No.9 and that desire won’t have disappeared, with Patrick Bamford turning 32 in September, while Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph are untried at the top level.

Evan Ferguson stats amid Leeds and Everton links

It’s been an admittedly difficult 2024/25 campaign for Ferguson, who missed a number of Brighton games through injury before joining West Ham on loan in January. The striker is yet to score in six appearances for the Hammers, although he’s only started once.

Ferguson scored just one goal during the first-half of the season at Brighton but previous campaigns are evidence of his potential. The young striker got his breakthrough during the 2022/23 campaign in which he scored six goals in 19 Premier League appearances, a tally that was matched last season.

Those goals, and the performances around them, caught the eye of top European clubs and reports less than two years ago valued him around £100m, with suggestions the likes of Manchester United were considering a move at that price. Ferguson is yet to reach those heights but would present an excellent option for any bottom-half Premier League team.

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