Leeds are in talks to sign the Brighton player who was targeted by Man United last summer
Leeds United have been linked with the signing of the Brighton player who Man United were targeting last summer, according to reports.
Leeds take on Man United in an important Premier League clash
Leeds head into what could be a testy away game at Old Trafford in the last game of the weekend.
They travel to a stadium where they haven’t won a league game in over 45 years, and are missing the likes of Anton Stach, Joe Rodon and Dan James through injury.
The circumstances paint a picture of a struggling team at the end of a difficult season.
Leeds sit just three points adrift in the table, have not found the net in their last four league games and have won just once in the entire campaign.
The Whites have also not won a Premier League game since their 3-1 home win over Nottingham Forest in February.
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Leeds United’s last Premier League games are in second place |
The day |
|---|---|
|
Man United (away) |
April 13 |
|
Wolves (home) |
April 18 |
|
Bournemouth (away) |
April 22 |
|
Burnley (home) |
May 1 |
|
Tottenham (away) |
May 11 |
|
Brighton (home) |
May 17 |
|
West Ham (away) |
May 24 |
The FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea later this month offers a different kind of event, but the table demands that league points start above all else at the moment.
Leeds are now ready to sell the player at any price after Daniel Farke’s brutal decision
The manager is late.
Man United, with Harry Maguire suspended but Lisandro Martínez returning from injury, are chasing Champions League qualification under Michael Carrick and have lost just twice in their last eight in the Premier League.
Getting a win in Manchester would represent one of the most important moments of Daniel Farke’s tenure, especially given their rivalry, but behind the scenes, planning for next season continues.
A series of transfers have emerged that give an indication of where Leeds’ recruitment thinking is headed, regardless of next term.
Leeds are closing in on Brighton goalkeeper Carl Rushworth
According to Graeme Bailey of TEAMtalk, Leeds is among the teams that have contacted Carl Rushworth, the Brighton goalkeeper who spent this season on loan at Coventry City.
Man United are said to be among those who explored a move for him last summer, but Leeds’ approach suggests that they are now also very serious.
The 24-year-old’s performances at Coventry have been excellent by any measure.
He went 613 consecutive minutes without conceding a single spell, setting Coventry’s club record, and the details below are equally impressive as Rushworth conceded far fewer goals than expected based on the quality of shots he faced.
Coventry are on course to win the Championship and return to the Premier League, and Rushworth have been in the middle of it.
It is because of this that Brighton is not willing to let him go as things stand.
TEAMtalk also report that the south coast club want to extend Rushworth’s contract and position him as a potential replacement for Bart Verbruggen, who is expected to leave this summer with Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Tottenham among his suitors.
The plan, from Brighton’s point of view, is clear – Verbruggen goes, Rushworth comes in and succession is managed without the need to go to the market.
There is a problem that Leeds can exploit, however.
Rushworth has made it clear that he will only sign a new long-term deal if he is guaranteed regular first-team football, and has no intention of signing as a back-up option.
Whether Brighton can give him that guarantee depends entirely on Verbruggen’s departure.
In Leeds, the chain of events necessary for Rushworth to be found is long. Brighton are not willing to sell, Coventry would like to make the deal permanent if promotion is confirmed, and Rushworth himself has conditions.
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