Enzo Maresca is poised to make the dramatic move of swapping freshly promoted Leicester City for Chelsea in the next hours and days, with a Leeds United target as his first signing.
While Kieran McKenna has decided to stay and sign a contract with Ipswich, Italian manager Maresca has taken a risk and left the King Power following Leicester’s promotion to replace Mauricio Pochettino.
Meanwhile, Daniel Farke is gearing up for another season in the Championship after losing to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley. The Whites expect to sell a number of key players this summer.
They will require replacements, and Farke’s squad still has to reinforce at No. 10. Last summer, Leeds attempted but failed to sign a playmaker, with bids for Nadiem Amiri and Matt O’Riley falling through.
The Whites are now connected with another player, James McAtee, after the 21-year-old impressed while on loan at Sheffield United from parent club Manchester City over the last two seasons.
Leeds want James McAtee, but so does Enzo Maresca at Chelsea.
According to the source, Leeds and Southampton are interested in the technically brilliant McAtee, who is expected to cost £20 million. Leeds are no longer the only team showing an interest in the England U21 player.
Indeed, The Sun on Sunday (page 61, 02/06/2024) reports that Maresca was interested in bringing McAtee to Leicester and had planned a £20 million deal, but with a move to Chelsea on the horizon, those preparations have been abandoned.
Despite the fact that McAtee has moved from Leicester to Chelsea, Maresca remains intent on having him at Stamford Bridge. A move that would have the “outstanding” star following in Cole Palmer’s footsteps.
Leeds have little chance of signing McAtee, but he’s needed.
McAtee, who impressed in the Premier League against the top tier’s poorest side, is almost certain to land a loan or permanent deal with a Premier League club in the coming weeks and months.
But the type of player McAtee is is exactly what Leeds needs. Had The Whites been promoted, he would have been a wonderful addition to Farke’s squad. A player with the ability to conjure magic from nothing.
Leeds must move down the list and locate as near an alternative to McAtee as possible, while also hoping that he does not cost an arm and a leg, considering our failure in the Championship play-off final the previous month.
