Russell Martin confirms Southampton are not trying to sign £15m Leeds United target

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This time last year, Leeds United and Southampton were both hot on the trail of a number of the same targets.

Having just been relegated from the Premier League, the two clubs enjoyed a very busy end to the 2023 transfer window after losing a host of first team players.

Joel Piroe, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Ryan Manning and Glen Kamara were all linked with a move to both sides over the course of the summer, but in the end it was Southampton who won the race for promotion.

Despite the difference in divisions this season, that has not necessarily stopped Leeds from being linked with the same targets as the Saints.

However, with the lure of Premier League football, it is always going to be more difficult for Leeds to overcome Southampton when it comes to the battle for signings.

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What Russell Martin has said about Leeds target Jack Clarke

Just like 12 months ago, Leeds are really ramping up their transfer activity as the deadline fast approaches.

Leeds brought in five new players in the last week of the window last year, and a similar number could well arrive at Elland Road this time around, with Largie Ramazani set to be the first.

Another player who has been linked with a move to Leeds is Sunderland’s Jack Clarke, with the suggestion being he would be open to a return to the club.

However, after such an impressive season at Sunderland in 2023/24 which saw him net 15 goals, he has also been attracting Premier League interest.

Southampton are one of the sides who have been named in the race to sign him, but speaking in his pre-Nottingham Forest press conference, Martin has confirmed that is not the case.

He said: “He’s a player who did well in the Championship. We have been linked with a lot of players this summer and some are miles off. I wouldn’t say this is high on the priority list at the moment, we are not in the race at the moment.”

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Ipswich closing in on move for Clarke

Despite the money generated in player sales this summer, a move for Clarke was always deemed on the more expensive side.

As such, Leeds have instead moved to sign UD Almeria’s Ramazani, who is also primarily a right-footed left-winger.

Clarke, meanwhile, actually looks as though he will be moving to Ipswich Town with the East Anglian Daily Times reporting talks are now at an advanced stage.

Ipswich’s opening offer was believed to be in the region of £15 million but it would not be a surprise if an agreement was reached at a higher figure than that.