Sheffild United 'given green light' to sign youth international star this summer

One pundit has weighed in on Sheffield United’s reported interest in Brighton star Marc Leonard. The Blades will already be beginning their recruitment drive ahead of the summer, or at least fans will be hoping so.

It can often be a tricky transition returning to the Championship, with few teams bouncing straight back up, and even fewer who have big money to spend. One bargain signing who is being linked with a number of clubs is Brighton youngster Leonard, who has spent this season and last on loan with Northampton Town.

The 22-year-old missed just one league game between this season and last, and there are reports that his parent club Brighton will sell for only £300,000 this summer. That has sparked reported interest from the likes of Blades, Hull City, Coventry City, Plymouth Argyle and Cardiff City.

Amid that interest, pundit Carlton Palmer has been speaking about the reported interest, telling Football League World: “Sheffield United and Hull have joined the race alongside Coventry City and Plymouth to sign Brighton’s Marc Leonard.

“Marc, who’s 22, is out of contract in the summer of 2025 and the midfielder has been outstanding at Northampton Town this season. The 22-year-old won the Player of the Year award, and the Player’s Player of the Year award. He’s had a fantastic season, and it’s now believed that Brighton will not stand in his way of first-team football and a fee of £300,000 has been mooted.

“I wouldn’t say that Coventry City are out of the race because I think Mark Robins has done a fantastic job there, and he’s building another good team and there’ll be some continuity there with their new owners. Plymouth will be difficult because even if they stay up, which would be a phenomenal achievement, they will still be in the bottom half of the division.

"Sheffield United will be going for automatic promotion next season and Hull and Coventry will be around the play-offs if Hull miss out this year. He’s proved what an outstanding player he is at that level, and he’ll be a good signing if anyone is able to get him in. He’s young, talented, a Scottish youth international, but he needs to play regular first-team football if he’s to carry on improving.”