Leeds United are interested in signing Martin Terrier in this summer's transfer window...
What's the word?
According to The Athletic's Phil Hay, the club's scouting department has been analysing the Stade Rennes forward ahead of a potential move. He revealed to his podcast:
"You’ll have seen them linked with Martin Terrier at Rennes as well.
"Interesting that one, because we were told a few weeks ago that they’d be analysing him, the Leeds scouting department had been analysing him but weren’t sure and saw him as pretty pricey.
"He had a very, very hot season for Rennes last season, but it was his first where he really exploded."
He could cost in the region of €40m (£34m), as per reports in France.
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Shades of Raphinha
Leeds' director of football Victor Orta could repeat his Raphinha masterclass with a swoop for Terrier, given that both were relatively unknown talents who broke through at Rennes.
It is true that last season was the 25-year-old's first standout campaign in the men's game, having scored a whopping 21 goals and laid on a further three assists (via WhoScored), but it was the same for the new FC Barcelona star.
The Brazilian delivered eight goal contributions in 20 starts for the Ligue 1 outfit in 2019/20 before Leeds took a £17m punt on him, and the rest was history. He left Elland Road as a firm fan favourite, especially as he did not join a Premier League rival.
Manager Jesse Marsch could do with another forward, seeing as he really struggled in the absence of Patrick Bamford, who missed a large chunk of the 2021/22 campaign with a range of injuries.
He doesn't really have a senior backup besides the relatively inexperienced Joe Gelhardt. Terrier can help plug that gap.
FBref have likened the Frenchman's style to that of Sadio Mane, so that only adds to the excitement of potentially signing him, as he also ranks inside the top 2% of all attacking midfielders and wingers for non-penalty goals.
Terrier has been described as a "real coup" by journalist Pete O'Rourke, and it's easy to see why he might think that.
European football writer Tom Williams has likened him to former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, as he said on the Sky Sports Transfer Talk podcast:
“He’s a very quick, left-sided right-footed attacking player whose trademark is coming in off the left flank and whipping shots in; a-la Thierry Henry.
“Looking at his age and the phenomenal season he had last season, he will probably think that if he is ever going to make a big move to the Premier League, it’s probably going to be now or never."
On the above evidence, Leeds would be foolish to not secure a move for Terrier before deadline day on September 1st. They could well repeat their Raphinha trick here.
AND in other news, Orta could unearth a new £100m talent as Leeds plot bid for "generational" £20m target...