Leeds United rebuffed six offers for attacking starlet Bielsa rates highly
Leeds United rejected multiple offers from Championship clubs for Sam Greenwood before the transfer window closed, claims a report.
As many as six clubs formulated offers for the 19-year-old forward; Leeds though stood firm.
Swansea City and Bournemouth were among the clubs trying to land Greenwood, according to Football Insider.
Greenwood, who top scored for Leeds’ Under-23s last season made the bench for the opening-day defeat at Manchester United.
He also has one goal and one assist in two Premier League 2 starts this term as he looks to build on last season’s form.
Leeds’ desire to keep the talented centre-forward was also matched by the player himself. The source claims Greenwood, who was promoted to the first-team squad last season, also wanted to stay and develop at Elland Road.
Greenwood arrived from Arsenal in the summer of 2020 for an initial fee of £1.5m. However, that fee could double if all the add-ons are met.
Crysencio Summerville, another Leeds attacker was also a wanted man in the summer, per the same source.
Leeds though turned down significant interest in Summerville to display the huge confidence they have in their fringe youngsters.
Chief executive Angus Kinnear in his programme notes last month revealed that Leeds had “vigorously resisted” over £100m of interest in their players over the summer.
The fact that Leeds allowed Helder Costa to head to Valencia on a loan-to-buy deal and Ian Poveda move to Blackburn on loan proves how highly Marcelo Bielsa thinks of Greenwood and his other youngsters.
Dan James did arrive on a £25m deal to help plug the gap left by those two, but Greenwood, Sean McGurk and Joe Gelhardt are all very highly thought of at the club.
Elswehere, former IBF world featherweight champion Josh Warrington believes Leeds United will see what James is all about under Bielsa.
James completed a £25m transfer from Manchester United on transfer deadline day and became Leeds’ second most expensive signing in the process.
It was two-and-a-half-years after Leeds’ bid to sign him from his former club Swansea collapsed at the 11th hour.
James was even pictured in a Leeds shirt before the deal fell through. Instead Man Utd swooped in the summer of 2019, paying £15m, plus £3m in add-ons to Swansea.
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Warrington expects big things from James
James went on to play 74 times for the Old Trafford club, scoring nine times and getting nine assists. However, he could not establish himself as a first-team regular and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer allowed the Wales star to move on.
But Leeds fan Warrington, who faces Mauricio Lara in their featherweight rematch at Headingley on Saturday night, thinks Bielsa can get another level from the 23-year-old.
“You know what, it’s exciting,” Warrington told talkSPORT. “I think it could be a good partnership with him and Raphinha.
“I think he’s got that little twinkle in his eye doing interviews and what not.
“He wanted to sign for Leeds a few years ago and it didn’t happen.
“He’s had a season or two at Man United and he will have grown and learnt a bit. But I think he’s excited to be here and we’ll see another level from him.
“Under Marcelo Bielsa, we’ll see what he’s really capable of doing.”
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