Leeds United are one of a number of Premier League sides weighing up a summer move for Middlesbrough forward Chuba Akpom if the Teesside club are not promoted, as per talkSPORT.

Akpom will be in contention to win the Championship Player of the Season award despite looking destined for the exit at Boro in the summer.

It has been an incredible rise for the 27-year-old and his stock has risen tenfold in English football as a result.

Boro face an uphill task to climb above Sheffield United in the race for automatic promotion but have looked like the best side in the play-off places since Michael Carrick replaced Chris Wilder at the helm.

What do we know so far?

Any pursuit of Akpom seems to rest on Boro's promotion chances. with his current deal up in the summer.

It would also seem that relegation to the Championship would rule the Whites out of landing the former Arsenal man.

Leeds do seem to be in a better position to navigate the next 13 games under Javi Gracia than they were playing higher-risk football under Jesse Marsch but their top-flight status is still very much under threat.

Crystal Palace and Everton were also mentioned as competitors in the piece and the Eagles' stabler position in the top-flight, combined with Patrick Vieira's position in the dugout, with Akpom coming through at Arsenal, and the fact that the 27-year-old is from London originally may well work in their favour.

Is it likely to happen?

We are yet to learn exactly what kind of football Gracia is going to play at Leeds and what kind of players are going to fit into that.

However, Leeds does not seem like a very likely destination for Akpom this summer, especially with the profile of player they have brought to the club in recent windows.

Everton are probably in a similar boat to the Whites in scrapping for their position in the top flight but Akpom does not feel like the most mobile pressing forward that has typically been valued at Elland Road under Marcelo Bielsa and Marsch.

The repeatability of this mightily impressive goalscoring season from Akpom also has to come into question when looking at investing in his future.

Crystal Palace have targeted players from the EFL in recent seasons and the likes of Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze have gone on to make a good impact in the first team, Akpom would fit in with their recruitment policy more so than that of the Whites.