Journalist Ben Jacobs says Leeds United could make a move for an exciting new winger in the ‘coming weeks’.
Out wide does certainly seem like an area Leeds will need to strengthen with some real quality this summer given the calibre of players they could lose.
Jaidon Anthony has already confirmed he will be returning to Bournemouth following the completion of his loan move, but it is the futures of Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto which will cause more alarm.
Summerville has been touted as the most likely of Leeds’ big names to leave this summer after a stellar campaign that saw him crowned the Championship’s POTS in April.
Leeds have reportedly set an asking price of £30 million with clubs such as Brighton and Liverpool having been mentioned as potential destinations.
Gnonto, meanwhile, has been linked with a potential return to Italy and if Leeds were to lose both players, they need to somehow replace 27 goals with players at a fraction of the cost.
Ben Jacobs shares update on Leeds’ interest in Couhaib Driouech
Jacobs was speaking on the latest episode of the Just Joe Football Show on YouTube on Tuesday night, where he discussed a range of transfer topics at Elland Road.
On top of mentioning that Chelsea defender Alfie Gilchrist would be ‘open’ to a switch to West Yorkshire, he also shared an update on Leeds’ interest in Couhaib Driouech.
Alongside Dutch champions PSV and Victor Orta’s Sevilla, the Dutch media claimed on Tuesday that Leeds are one of 10 clubs eyeing up the Excelsior winger.
PSV is said to be his preferred destination but talks over a fee of between £3m-£3.5m have hit an impasse, which could allow other clubs to swoop in.
According to Jacobs, one of those could certainly be Leeds as he confirmed there is ‘some substance’ to the reports and that he is ‘one to watch’ over the next few weeks.
He said: “They are fishing around the market for these under five, under £10 million players, contingent on the outgoings. You have to go into different markets… From what I am told they are going to be looking in the Dutch market and there is some substance to the links to Couhaib Driouech, who is one to watch over the coming weeks.
“He is a very talented, early 20s type player, but the problem there is just price. It might not seem like a big fee to Leeds, but right now they are looking to do deals under £5 million and it can be a stumbling block at times. This particular player is a winger, a position Leeds would like to strengthen and it could be a very smart piece of business if they get it over the line, but nothing is advanced or over the line.”
- READ MORE: ‘Special’ Leeds United player tipped to double in value next season if he’s not sold this summer
Who is Leeds target Couhaib Driouech?
Driouech is a young winger who has already has over 60 appearances under his belt in the top-flight of Dutch football.
With six goals and six assists in 26 appearances for an Excelsior side that were relegated, he enjoyed the best individual season of his career in 2023/24, which is what has attracted so many clubs to him this summer.
Similarly to both Summerville and Gnonto, Driouech primarily plays as a left-winger who enjoys cutting in on his stronger right foot, but can also play on the other flank.
He has been capped on nine occasions by Morocco’s U23s side, and based on the amount of interest in him, has a fair amount of potential.
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