Leeds United have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Blackburn Rovers attacker Ben Brereton Diaz, according to the Daily Mail. They claim that the Whites remain keen on signing him next year but will wait until the summer when his contract expires.
However, Celta Vigo, Villarreal and Valencia are also reportedly keen on his signature but hold an advantage over Leeds. With the Chile international now 23, clubs from abroad are able to open talks in the winter window for a pre-contract deal, but Leeds must wait until next summer.
Brereton Diaz is said to have no intention of extending his current deal at Ewood Park, but Blackburn are looking to fend off offers in January in order to aid their promotion push. Those extra six months could allow either of the three Spanish sides to agree a deal before Leeds are even able to submit an offer of their own.
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Leeds were among a host of clubs reportedly keen on signing Brereton Diaz during the summer, making a very late play for him after their failed pursuits of Cody Gakpo and Bamba Dieng. Both Fulham and Everton also made plays for Brereton Diaz, with the former thought to have had two bids rejected and the latter reportedly having come close to signing him.
Despite the ongoing speculation, he has not allowed that to affect his performances for Rovers this season. He has scored four goals and provided one assist in the Championship so far, building on his most impressive campaign yet in 2021/22, when he found the net on 22 occasions.
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