Following a convincing win against Cardiff City this past Saturday, Leeds United remain in the promotion playoff spots of the Championship. Still outside of the automatic promotion spots, the Whites will try and utilize the January transfer window as an opportunity to bolster their squad. A Premier League player is reportedly on the top of their list.
Leeds Pursuing Burnley Winger Manuel Benson
Watch: LEEDS AND MORE BATTLE FOR YOUNGSTER
Belgium Player Linked to Championship Outfit
Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri reported on Thursday morning that Leeds United, “expecting a (likely) sale of Wilfried Gnonto to West Ham United before the end of the window,” were working on finding a replacement for the Italian. Burnley winger Manuel Benson appears to be the name mentioned around the club.
Tavolieri noted that Benson was “a priority target” for them. Following several productive campaigns in Belgium, the now 26-year-old winger moved to Burnley in 2022. He played a key role in their Championship campaign last season which saw the Clarets win the league and return to the English top flight.
Benson Is An Experienced Player
The attacker made his professional debut as a teenager with Lierse during the 2013/14 Belgian Pro League campaign. By the time Benson established himself in the starting lineup, the club had been relegated to the Belgian Second Division. Gaining experience he would later use with Burnley, he helped secure a promotion and earn the attention of K.R.C. Genk who purchased him in 2017.
Read More: Liverpool’s Ex-Captain On The Verge Of Joining European Side
Several loans and a future move to Royal Antwerp saw him appear on the radars of several English clubs. Burnley bought him, and his 11 goals played a pivotal role in the Clarets’ Championship-winning crusade. Described as a player with “an eye for goal,” Leeds will miss Gnonto less if they can complete the deal for the Belgian winger.
