Leeds could be 'offered' £28m Premier League striker at Elland Road

Leeds United could be ‘offered’ the services of Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins over the coming days, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The 26-year-old was left out of the starting XI for the Villans’ opening-day defeat at the hands of Bournemouth and has now been tipped to seek pastures new this summer.

Football Insider have reported that Villa are ‘willing to sell’ Watkins in the closing stages of the transfer window due to his ‘tense’ relationship with manager Steven Gerrard.

It’s claimed that the pair do not see ‘eye to eye’ and that Gerrard is now ready to part ways with his star forward despite the market closing on September 1.

And Leeds could be one of the sides potentially interested in Watkins as manager Jesse Marsch continues to search for some cover and competition for Patrick Bamford up front.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has previously informed GiveMeSport that ‘the idea at Leeds is to keep the current squad and to add a striker’, meaning the England international may now come onto their radar.

Jones believes that the likes of Leeds, Crystal Palace and Everton could be handed the chance to sign Watkins as his representatives ‘gauge how much interest’ there is in him.

He told GMS: “What would happen in a situation like this is, typically, intermediaries start targeting obvious clubs when a player is made to feel like they don’t have much of a future.

“So, if that is the case with Watkins, like it’s been reported, then I would expect Leeds, Crystal Palace, Everton also be offered his services in the next week or so just to gauge how much interest there is out there.”

Watkins has established himself as a reliable performer in the Premier League since Villa paid Brentford £28 million for his services back