Fabrizio Romano's promising Crysencio Summerville verdict as Leeds United could be forced to wait on loan move

Leeds United look set for another busy summer as they prepare for the 2024/25 Championship season and another long promotion push. Last month’s play-off final defeat to Southampton has consigned Daniel Farke’s side to another year of second-tier football but mood among supporters remains optimistic after a thrilling first season under the German.

Some difficult decisions will have to be taken this summer, with one or two key sales expected, but Leeds are in a far stronger position than they were 12 months ago and will be keen to strengthen the squad. Speculation has kicked up a notch since the transfer window opened on Friday and the YEP has rounded up some of the latest stories surrounding the club.

Summerville verdict

Fabrizio Romano believes Leeds will likely receive between £35-40million for Crysencio Summerville amid intensifying Premier League interest. Brighton have emerged alongside Chelsea and Liverpool as serious contenders for the 22-year-old, but the YEP understands that competition, coupled with the financial injection that came with Red Bull’s investment, has put the club in a strong position to ensure their demands are met.

“It’s a concrete possibility,” Romano told Caught Offside. “Brighton are trying, they know it's a complicated deal because there are many clubs interested in this great talent. Obviously Brighton are trying to move fast. We know the financial fair play situation for many big clubs in England is quite complicated now and so Brighton are trying to take advantage of this situation. They have the possibility to make some investments and signing a player like Summerville would be a big opportunity for them.

“What I'm hearing is that Brighton made contact in recent hours to explore the possibility of attacking this situation. There are talks ongoing so let's see if Brighton can be fast. There's also interest from two big clubs, Chelsea and Liverpool, both have had some contact in recent months. We are looking at around £35-40m for Summerville. I think the next stage will be important to see how the race goes because the timing will be important. If Brighton cannot reach an agreement in the next two or three weeks, the bigger clubs could appear.”

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Gilchrist latest

Any developments in the race for Alfie Gilchrist could be put on hold for later in the summer with new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca potentially keen to see the youngster in action, according to Ben Jacobs. After guiding Leicester City to the Championship title, Maresca succeeded Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge and will be keen to assess all squad members before sanctioning any exits, permanent or temporary.

The YEP understands that while interest in Gilchrist is genuine, suggestions of an imminent approach are wide of the mark with those in charge at Elland Road eager to weigh up all options before pushing on with any deals. And that approach could suit Chelsea as well, with no one seemingly in any rush.

“An Alfie Gilchrist loan is one to watch as well,” Jacobs told journalist Simon Phillips. “It will be interesting to see if Maresca wants to keep him for pre-season in the US prior to a likely loan to a Championship club. This may make more sense rather than loaning him out too early. Leeds, Preston and Blackburn are three clubs to watch, as revealed a few weeks back. All enquiries are only at an early stage.”