Alan Pardew has given his verdict on Premier League links with Leeds United’s Crysencio Summerville.
Pardew was actually Summerville’s third ever manager in professional football having taken charge of the Dutch outfit at the midway point of his loan spell.
Den Haag were actually an Eredivisie side at the time and despite being just 17 when he joined, Summerville was a regular before and after Pardew’s appointment, as he made 17 league starts, scoring two goals and assisting three.
That loan spell provided the platform for Summerville to earn a move to Leeds in the Premier League at just 18, where he was initially forced to bide his time in the U21s.
However, over the last couple of seasons, particularly the most recent one, Summerville has become a key player at Elland Road, winning the Championship’s POTS back in April.
Pardew shares what he thought of Summerville after working with him
After Leeds’ failure to win promotion back to the Premier League, it is widely expected that Summerville will be on the move again this summer.
Numerous top-flight clubs have expressed an interest in the 22-year-old, with Leeds having set an asking price of in excess of £30 million.
Brighton & Hove Albion became the first side to open talks with Leeds over a deal on Monday, though Chelsea and Liverpool are among the other clubs to have been linked.
Having worked with him Pardew will know Summerville’s potential and character better than most and speaking on talkSPORT, gave his verdict on the transfer links this summer.
He believes Summerville is absolutely a Premier League player and likened his confidence from a young age to that of Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal, though does think a club like Brighton would be a better next step than Liverpool.
He said: “I had him at ADO Den Haag when he was there. We took him on loan. He was only like 16, 17. Such a lovely kid. He was like open. I had Alex Dyer assisting me, and we worked really hard with him to try and get him to understand what it really was in terms of men’s football at such a young age.
“A bit like Yamal at Barcelona. Took like a duck to water. No problem. He never feared anybody and he has brought that to Leeds. What he has is over a three kind of yard spell, he has acceleration that you just can’t stay with him.
“And he has the technique to beat people. Obviously, once he is gone, forget it, he is gone. It’s just really his final decision that’s going to be the crux for him in terms of reaching the real higher platforms of football. He is definitely a Premier League player for sure.
“What I am saying is to get to Liverpool, I can see why they might sort of, Brighton might be a better move for him to see how he copes. Does he pick that moment? That’s the difference between having extraordinary pace and being brilliant in the Premier League is the decision-making process?”
Next few days could be decisive in Summerville race
After Leeds’ play-off final defeat to Southampton, those behind-the-scenes acknowledged pretty quickly that Summerville would be on his way out.
Leeds aren’t really showing any determination to keep him but are clearly going to ensure they receive the best possible price.
And while Brighton are the first side to open talks, it does not necessarily mean a deal will be done quickly, with Fabrizio Romano suggesting the next few days will be vital for them.
He said: “I have a sense they hope to get close to a deal done around £35m/40m, so that could be the price. The next few days will be important to see how this contest will go, the timing of this deal is really important.”