Derby County are reportedly ‘interested’ in signing a Premier League gem who could now be available for £400,000.
Derby County‘s midfield has weakened drastically this month, with Conor Hourihane and Korey Smith both leaving on a free transfer, while Ebou Adams departed at the end of his loan spell.
The Rams are clearly eager to bring in reinforcements to the middle of the park, with the likes of Bobby Clark and Ben Osborn both linked with moves to the Midlands.
While Derby are also eager to bring Ebou Adams back to the club after an‘immense’ loan stint, they could now land a Premier League midfielder for a six-figure fee.
Derby County target is now available for £400k
Journalist Darren Witcoop wrote on X: “Marc Leonard has six offers on the table with Brighton ready to sell the midfielder for £400,000. Clubs from Championship, League One and abroad all interested in striking a deal.”
Derby are said to be one of those six clubs, alongside Oxford United, Cardiff and Birmingham City.
Leonard has spent the last two seasons on loan with Northampton Town, helping them win promotion to League One and winning their Player of the Year.
Marc Leonard could be a huge signing for the Rams
The ‘phenomenal’ midfielder bagged five goals and six assists last season, as well as making the third-most successful tackles in the third tier (116), the fourth-most interceptions (67), the third most passes blocked (55) and the eighth-most key passes (68).
Leonard would be an excellent signing for Derby and has proven he is capable of taking the step up from the third tier.
There will be plenty of competition for his signature, but for less than half a million it seems like he could be a real bargain for a Championship club.
It could depend on their pursuit of Adams though, who is also valued at just over £300k.
They would surely be one of the favourites amongst Oxford, Cardiff and Birmingham though, with the latter having been relegated to the third tier last month.
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