Leeds: 'Top-class' £17m target could be a bargain at Elland Road

Leeds United target Takumi Minamino would ‘definitely’ be a ‘good option’ for the club this summer, according to journalist Jacque Talbot.

The 27-year-old has been on the Whites’ radar for quite some time now and appears poised to finally exit Anfield following a frustrating two-and-a-half-year spell.

According to The Athletic, Liverpool are expecting plenty of interest in Minamino during the upcoming transfer window, who was their top scorer in both domestic cups last season.

It’s claimed that the Japan international has a £17 million price tag and is on the radar of both Italian giants Inter Milan and Leeds.

However, the west Yorkshire outfit may have received a potential boost in their pursuit of Minamino as The Mirror claim he could be used as a makeweight to prise Raphinha away from Elland Road.

Liverpool are said to be willing to offer £60m plus Minamino in order to snap up the Brazil international ahead of Barcelona as they search for Sadio Mane’s successor.

Talbot believes Minamino has ‘bags of quality’, and his acquisition would be ‘quite a safe one’ for Leeds given that he has already proven his ability to succeed in the Premier League.

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He told GiveMeSport: “Yeah, I think on his loan at Southampton as well, you saw the bags of quality that he can possess if he’s given a run of games, and it makes a lot of sense.

“I think it’s quite a safe one for Leeds because they know he can play in the Premier League, and he probably won’t cost too much money because he’s out of sorts at Liverpool. So, I think that would be a good option for them, definitely.”

Minamino only made 24 appearances last term, starting just one Premier League game,