Batshuayi to Leeds rumour
Leeds United have been named as a club possibly in for Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi this summer, despite Patrick Bamford's excellent 2020/21 form and a late resurgence from Rodrigo Moreno.
The report in the Telegraph claims Batshuayi has been earmarked as a likely departure from Stamford Bridge should Romelu Lukaku make a return to the club.
Leeds United's name is an easy one to attach to transfer rumour given the size of the club and its fanbase, and Batshuayi's fit seems a peculiar one at best.
In 2018, he told Onze Mondial : “It pissed me off because I was doing sick training, I worked like crazy, but he didn’t talk to me. And yet he always took other people to talk to them. In fact, it is all or nothing. Either he picks you up and talks to you for 40 minutes, or he doesn’t talk to you at all."
Batshuayi was referring to Marcelo Bielsa, and the time he spent with the Argentine at Marseille.
Joe Mewis provides greater context to the supposed link.
Kalvin's first mentor speaks
Leeds United scout Walter Sweeney is credited with discovering a then 15-year-old Kalvin Phillips at a football tournament over a decade ago.
The 72-year-old first spotted Phillips when playing for Wortley Juniors at a summer tournament in August 2010 and immediately saw the potential in the youngster.
"Kalvin has always been a good passer of the ball and that was what caught my eye when I first watched him," Sweeney told the i Paper's Ross Heppenstall in an exclusive interview.
“He was knocking it long and short and I thought, ‘hold on, this boy can play’. I took Kalvin’s details and made it known that I wanted to bring him into Leeds United, which we did."
And the rest is history.
Sam Greenwood takes end-of-year prize
Leeds United U-23 striker Sam Greenwood has been awarded the Premier League 2 Goal of the Season after his excellent free-kick versus West Bromwich Albion.
Greenwood finished the season as the junior Whites' top scorer with 12 goals, just pipping teammate Joe Gelhardt who ended the campaign on 11.
The goal in question was a looping effort, which dipped into the far corner of the net, sparking wild celebrations from the teenager's watching teammates.
"The former Arsenal academy prospect was used in a variety of positions for Leeds Under-23s this season, including up front, behind the striker and further back in midfield.
"It remains to be seen if Greenwood can break into Leeds’ senior team next season after a positive start to his spell at Elland Road," writes InsideFutbol.
