Pete O'Rourke has dropped his verdict on reported Leeds United transfer target Martin Terrier.
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In a recent interview with Football FanCast, the transfer insider stated his belief that, following reports linking Victor Orta with a €40m (£34m) move for the Stade Rennais centre-forward in recent weeks, Leeds would have the financial capacity to get a deal for the 25-year-old over the line this summer.
The journalist then went on to claim that, with the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United also being linked with the former France U21 international ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, the Whites' director of football managing to seal a deal for striker would represent a huge coup for the Jesse Marsch's side.
Regarding Leeds' interest in Terrier, O'Rourke said: "The money is there to do a big deal and Terrier had a really great season for Rennes last season. He has attracted interest from a number of top clubs - the likes of Liverpool and others. So, if Leeds were able to sign them, I think it would be a real coup."
"Real coup"
Considering just how impressive Terrier was in France last season, in addition to a number of top clubs reported to hold an interest in the centre-forward this summer, it is not difficult to understand why O'Rourke believes the 25-year-old signing would be a huge coup for the Whites.
Indeed, over his 37 Ligue 1 fixtures last time out, the £22.5m-rated talent was in astonishing form for Rennes, bagging 21 goals, providing 88 shots - one fewer than Paris Saint-Germain's Lionel Messi - making 42 key passes and completing 28 dribbles over the course of the season.
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These metrics saw the £21k-per-week striker average a rather remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.30, not only ranking him as Bruno Genesio's second-best player in the league but also as the joint 11th-best performer in the division as a whole.
For comparison, over Charles De Ketelaere's - another of Orta's reported attacking transfer targets this summer - 39 Jupiler Pro League appearances in 2021/22, the 21-year-old scored 14 goals, registered nine assists and created 16 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking a total of 79 shots, making 72 key passes and completing 55 dribbles over the course of the campaign.
These returns saw the £27m-rated forward average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.25, not only ranking him as Club Brugge KV's fourth-best performer in the league but also the 13th-best player in the Belgian top flight as a whole.
As such, while it is undeniable that the Belgium international is an incredibly gifted young talent, considering Terrier's superior return of goals while playing in one of Europe's big five leagues, the argument that the 25-year-old would be a much better fit to lead the Whites line next season is a relatively easy one to make.
Indeed, with Orta having already sealed the signings of both Brenden Aaronson and Luis Sinisterra this summer - two players who will help to boost Leeds' creativity from midfield next season - it would very much appear as if the Spanish director of football should now be prioritising the addition of an out and out goalscorer, something that Terrier has undoubtedly proven himself to be.
AND in other news: Reliable journo drops Leeds update after "insulting" bid, it'd be a "massive mistake"