Potential Leeds United transfer boost as January link 'rejects multiple offers' from Premier League club

Leeds United might be minded to rekindle reported January interest in Ben Godfrey with suggestions the defender has rejected multiple offers to extend his contract at Everton.

Godfrey will enter the final 12 months of his current deal this summer, leaving the cash-strapped Merseyside club with a major decision to make. Those in charge at Goodison Park will either need to sell ahead of next season or risk losing the defender for free in 12 months time - the kind of financial hit that would present a major issue for a club already battling to be compliant with profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).

Everton had been hoping to tie Godfrey down at some point over the past few months but Football Insider reports the 26-year-old will go into the final year of his contract after turning down a number of offers. They add that European giants AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund remain interested in the versatile defender, with both having held a long-standing interest.

Milan and Leeds were both heavily linked with a move for Godfrey in January but Everton opted to keep him at Goodison Park, with the two-capped England international going on to feature regularly as his side avoided relegation. After enjoying a rare spell of regular fitness, he started 12 of the last 17 games at full-back.

Interest from Milan has resurfaced in recent reports, with Dortmund also thought to have entered the race with the potential of a cut-price deal due to the contract situation. There has not yet been any suggestion of rekindled interest from Leeds but news of contract refusals could encourage those in charge at Elland Road to have a look.

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Godfrey is well-known to Leeds boss Daniel Farke, having played some of his best football under the German at Norwich City. And the versatile defender, who can operate comfortably at centre-back or full-back, would present a great option for a team in Leeds who will need to prioritise defensive reinforcements.

It is unclear whether Everton will now listen to offers for Godfrey or risk running down the final months of his contract. Speaking in January amid reports of interest from Leeds, Everton manager Sean Dyche insisted the defender remained in his plans despite frustration over a lack of regular football.

“He's doing terrifically well for us. He's training very well, staying sharp and ready,” said Dyche. “The hardest thing we've had lately is the games programme, trying to keep the players who are not quite starting in the first-team game-ready but he looks after himself. He's going well and he's ready. I think it's fair to say currently it's tough. The [other] two centre-halves are playing very, very well and most people are speaking outside of my opinion and decision.

“Sometimes as a centre-half – and I was one – it's tough because you want to play but I think there's an honesty to most when they look at someone and think they are playing well, they know they've got to sit tight. I think he does know that. He's a very good player but he's looking at two centre-halves who are in very, very strong form.”