Leeds selling 21-year-old for £12m would be a huge error, can build team round him – opinion

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Everton became the latest club to be linked with a move for Leeds United winger Crysencio Summerville earlier this week.

According to the Telegraph, the Toffees and former club Feyenoord are currently in the race for the 21-year-old, who is expected to leave during this summer after Leeds’ relegation.

Summerville is reportedly set to command a fee of just £12 million and became the fourth Leeds player to be mentioned as a potential target for Everton after Tyler Adams, Willy Gnonto and Jack Harrison.

Leeds are expecting to lose a significant number of players during the transfer window but if they want to build a side capable of promotion, it is paramount they are able to retain some.

Alongside Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood, Summerville only put pen-to-paper on a new four-year deal last summer and as such, Leeds should be in a decent position to keep him.

Leeds should keep Summerville, reported £12m fee is a shambles

According to reports from Summerville’s native Netherlands, he has a release clause of £20 million, but Leeds will not demand that to sell him.

That would be utterly criminal business by Leeds, as that feels like they are almost pushing him out of the door when he is a player they should be looking to build a team around.

Summerville showed in glimpses what he is capable of last term, scoring in four successive matches before the World Cup break.

Admittedly, upon the resumption of the season he was more inconsistent, but that is expected at his age and a year playing and scoring regularly in the Championship could be ideal for his development.

You can almost guarantee if Southampton had this conundrum with Summerville, they would not be selling him for anything less than his reported release clause and Leeds should take a leaf out of their book.

Leeds are going to make enough money in sales from players such as Harrison, Rodrigo, Brenden Aaronson and Junior Firpo not to have to sell Summerville on the cheap.

Leeds really must reconsider their stance regarding the young Dutchman as selling him would be a grave mistake.