Leeds United were one of a number of English clubs linked with a move to sign Genk defender Mark McKenzie in January – and now, the club’s sporting director says he will sell him in the summer.
McKenzie, 24, has impressed in Belgian football since swapping Philadelphia Union for Genk in January 2021. He’s clocked up 110 games for the Jupiler League side since, winning 13 USA caps in the process.
Leeds, Brighton, West Ham and Everton were linked with McKenzie in January with a fee of £8.5m said to be enough to land the American centre-back. He is contracted at Genk until the summer of 2025.
McKenzie remained at Genk in January but his long-term future remains up in the air. Indeed, sporting director De Conde – who was linked with Leeds last summer – says that Genk will sell him in the summer.
That is, if McKenzie does not sign a new deal. He is adamant that the Belgian club will not allow any of their players to enter the final year of their contracts. So, it is sign a new deal, or be sold this summer.
“They are holding off on that [signing new deals]. We still have time, but if they continue, a solution will have to be found in the summer. We will not let anyone enter their final year,” De Conde said to HBVL.
Dimitri De Conde says Genk will sell Leeds target Mark McKenzie
Leeds could do with a central defender come the summer. Joe Rodon is only on loan at Leeds from Tottenham, and Liam Cooper is expected to go in the summer – with his contract due to end in June.
Leeds will need a central defender in the summer even if the club sign Rodon permanently and the addition of McKenzie, at what is likely to be a smaller price than January, he would be a solid signing.
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