Leeds United winger Crysencio Summerville has attracted interest from Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion, with a potential transfer fee reaching up to £40 million.
Leeds United needs to make at least one significant sale this summer to balance their finances after failing to secure promotion back to the Premier League. Summerville, the Championship Player of the Year, has become a prime candidate for a big-money move due to his increased market value following an impressive 2023/24 season where he achieved double figures in both goals and assists across all competitions.
The 21-goal Dutch winger is in high demand this summer, with the transfer window only recently opened and already interest from Brighton, Chelsea, and Liverpool being reported.
Leeds believes they are in a strong position financially to dictate the terms of any sale, potentially commanding a fee upwards of £30 million. Some supporters suggest that any sale of Summerville should bring in around £40 million, reflecting his high value in Yorkshire.
However, interested teams might find this valuation steep, leading to the possibility of a makeweight deal. In such a deal, the purchasing club would pay a substantial fee and include a player in the exchange to secure Summerville’s transfer.
With Brighton showing the most concrete interest at this stage, various makeweight and transfer scenarios could be considered to make the deal appealing to both clubs.
- Tariq Lamptey : The 23-year-old Brighton right-back made 19 league appearances last season due to various factors, including injury, but only ten of those were starts under former boss Roberto De Zerbi. With Fabian Hurzeler now managing at the Amex Stadium, there might be a squad review that deems Lamptey surplus to requirements. As a result, the dynamic full-back could be included as a makeweight in any negotiations for Summerville.
2. Jakub Moder : Polish international Jakub Moder has Premier League experience and a history of goalscoring at his former club Lech Poznan, but he has struggled to secure a regular starting position at Brighton. With his contract set to expire next summer, the Seagulls might consider the 25-year-old midfielder as suitable negotiation fodder in transfer talks. Moder can play in defensive midfield, a traditional No. 8 role, or as an attacking midfielder, providing versatility and a physical profile that Leeds’ current midfield options lack.
3. Carl Rushworth : Brighton goalkeeper Carl Rushworth spent last season on loan at Swansea City, where he was one of the Championship’s top-performing shot-stoppers. Despite turning 23 this summer, he already has several full campaigns in the EFL under his belt. Rushworth would provide genuine competition to Leeds’ current No. 1, Illan Meslier, who has yet to regain the form he showed in his debut Premier League season.
4. Jeremy Sarmiento : Ecuadorian attacker Jeremy Sarmiento is returning to Brighton this summer after spending the second half of the season on loan at Ipswich Town, where he helped secure promotion to the Premier League. The 22-year-old showcased his game-changing ability off the bench, contributing three goals and two assists as a substitute. His impact at Portman Road highlights his potential value in negotiations for Summerville.
5. Mahmoud Dahoud (loan) : Former German international midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud spent the second half of last season on loan at Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart after struggling to settle at Brighton. Although the arrival of manager Fabian Hurzeler, who shares Dahoud’s nationality, might help his integration, a loan move to Leeds could be a beneficial option. This would allow Dahoud to acclimatize to English football and secure regular minutes in central midfield. If Brighton is particularly keen on acquiring Summerville, they might consider including Dahoud in a loan deal as part of the negotiations.
6. Evan Ferguson (loan) : Bear with me on this one. Irish international forward Evan Ferguson scored six goals in 27 Premier League appearances last season, but his scoring has dried up in 2024, with his last goal coming in November. Considering he is just 19, a loan agreement where Ferguson could take center stage at Elland Road is not so far-fetched. New coach Fabian Hurzeler’s opinion of Ferguson remains unknown. A season in the Championship with Leeds has previously benefited Brighton-owned loanees, making this a plausible scenario if Brighton is eager to secure Summerville.
7. Solly March (loan) : Twenty-nine-year-old midfielder Solly March scored three goals in seven Premier League outings last season before a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament sidelined him for the remainder of the campaign. Given his age and the severity of his injury, Brighton might hesitate to rely on him for the 2024/25 season. With time left on his contract, loaning him to a club like Leeds, likely to be at the top of the Championship, could serve as a testing ground for his recovery. This move could also facilitate negotiations for Summerville if Brighton pursues the winger.
8. Benicio Baker-Boaitey : High-potential young attacking players are often used as deal-sweeteners in transfers, and winger Benicio Baker-Boaitey fits that description if Summerville is to join the Seagulls this summer. The 20-year-old is an England youth international, having represented the Three Lions at the U20 level, and was previously on the books of FC Porto and West Ham United.
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