Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch is set to have given the Whites an upper hand in their battle with Everton to sign RB Leipzig midfielder Tyler Adams this summer.
Reports claim that Adams, who played under Marsch at Leipzig, is being pursued by both the Whites and the Toffees, but the latest noise surrounding the midfielder suggests that a reunion with Marsch seems more likely than a potential switch to Merseyside.
Should the move happen, it would be the third former Marsch player that the American manager has signed this summer, having completed moves for Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen for undisclosed fees from Red Bull Salzburg,
Reports from Sky Deutschland claim that Leeds have taken the lead over Everton in the race to sign 23-year-old Adams, who has spent the past three years in Germany with Leipzig.
Adams, who has won 30 caps for America’s national side, has played 103 times for Leipzig across the last three years, a run that includes 75 Bundesliga outings and 18 in the Champions League.
Leeds are on the hunt for further midfield additions this summer after sanctioning the sale of Kalvin Phillips to Manchester City in a deal worth up to £45m, with that signing being completed on Monday morning.
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Of the four signings made by Leeds so far, three have been for midfielders. As well as former Salzburg playmaker Aaronson, Leeds have also signed defensive midfielder Marc Roca from Bayern Munich for an undisclosed fee, as well as a £5m transfer for City’s Darko Gyabi.
However, Aaronson and Gyabi are more attacking than they are defensive, while Roca has been a fringe player for Bayern in the last two years, making just 15 Bundesliga appearances for the German outfit in two years.
Phillips’ exit is a massive blow to Leeds as one of the club’s key players from last season, alongside winger Raphinha, who has been linked with a big-money Elland Road exit this summer.
Leeds reportedly agreed a fee with Chelsea of around £55m to sell Raphinha to the London giants last week. However, Spanish side Barcelona are also said to have a strong interest in last season’s top scorer for Leeds, while Arsenal have also been linked.
The Whites narrowly avoided relegation last season and it took a dramatic 2-1 win away at Brentford on the final day of last season to seal safety, with Raphinha and Jack Harrison on the scoresheet that day.
After pre-season clashes with Blackpool, Brisbane Roar, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Cagliari, the Whites start their 2022/23 campaign with a home meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
