Leeds United are preparing to make a move for Brentford striker Ollie Watkins if the Bees miss out on promotion to the Premier League in the Championship play-off final, with the forward valued at around £30million, according to the Sunday Mirror (02/08, p76).

Watkins has been amongst the very best performers in the Championship this season and finished the regular campaign as the league’s most prolific player, having netted an impressive tally of 26 goals whilst also showing his creativity with a further three assists.

Leeds will be looking to add to their attacking options this summer with goal-scoring having been an issue for Marcelo Bielsa’s side at times over the last two campaigns, and despite scoring 16 league goals himself Patrick Bamford has come under scrutiny at times for missing chances.

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It is thought that the Whites are preparing to make an offer for Watkins depending on what happens to Brentford in the play-off final on Tuesday against Fulham, with Bielsa an admirer of the forward but also recognising it will be very difficult to sign him were the Bees to go up with Leeds.

The verdict

Moving for Watkins would be an excellent piece of business from Leeds this summer, with the forward having the ability to play both up front and in the wide positions, and he has shown he has the quality in front of goal to finish off the sort of chances Bamford has been missing in the last two seasons.

There will probably be a lot of Leeds fans now hoping Brentford do not get past Fulham on Tuesday now so that the Whites can move for the forward, although it would remain to be seen whether they would be able to meet the sort of valuation being suggested.

Leeds must ensure they have other targets in mind though in case the Bees do get promoted, and it would be interesting to see who they make a move for as an alternative were they to be unable to make their interest in the forward more concrete this summer.