Homegrown Leeds United youngster 'nearing £3.8m exit' as European club leads transfer race
Charlie Cresswell struggled for Leeds United game time under Daniel Farke last season
Charlie Cresswell appears to be edging towards the Leeds United exit door with a £3.8m deal to join Toulouse reportedly on the table. Cresswell has been linked to a host of clubs this summer with Hertha Berlin and Hannover said to be among those interested in a move for the England Under-21 international.
However, according to Alan Nixon, it's Toulouse who are leading the race to sign Cresswell with the French club ready to hand Leeds a sizeable sum for his services. Toulouse finished 11th in Ligue 1 last season with the deal potentially set to give Cresswell the chance to not only pick up valuable minutes but top flight minutes as he looks to take the next step in his career.
The centre-back is reportedly keen on the move to the south of France and it seems the move could progress quickly should Leeds agree to sell the 21-year-old, who cut a frustrated figure for much of last season. After playing a key role while on loan at Millwall over the 2022-23 campaign, Cresswell returned to Elland Road in the hope of securing regular game time with Leeds, the club he joined as a schoolboy back in 2013.
The defender was handed the number five shirt and a new long-term deal on the eve of last season and that seemed to underline his standing within Daniel Farke's first-team group. He even featured in the club's opening two league games as Farke appeared to put his trust in the youngster.
The arrival of Joe Rodon saw opportunities dry up for Cresswell, though, with the centre-back going on to make a total of just five league appearances over the course of the campaign. He was heavily linked away in January as a result with Championship clubs asking the question about a possible loan deal.
A move never materialised, though, and Cresswell was forced to watch a majority of Leeds' promotion push from the bench. As he looks to establish himself in the men's game and realise his potential the defender will be keen to play more of a regular role next season. However, according to the report, it seems those opportunities could come in the violet of Toulouse rather than the white of Leeds.