Noel Whelan has urged Leeds United to go out and sign Brentford forward Ollie Watkins this summer, amid reports revealing that he has a release clause in his contract.
Watkins has been in outstanding form for Brentford this season, scoring 26 goals in 49 games to help the Bees reach the Championship play-off final and move to within touching distance of the top-flight.
If the Bees fail to win promotion this week, then the likes of Watkins and Said Benrahma are likely to attract plenty of interest from the Premier League this summer.
Do you know the club these 15 Leeds players started their career with?
The Daily Express have recently claimed that Leeds will make a move for Watkins if that is to be the case, as the Whites prepare to bolster their attacking options ahead of next season.
The Athletic's David Ornstein has also revealed that Watkins has a release clause in his contract which could be triggered for around £18m this summer, with his Brentford future up in the air.
Speaking to Football Insider, former Leeds striker Noel Whelan has urged Leeds to go out and sign Watkins and activate the player's release clause.
He said: "I really hope that Fulham can do the job on Tuesday so we can have him at Leeds United.
"When you look at his age, his attributes and the season that he has had, anywhere in and around the £18million region would be a good price.
“He is a really, really special player. He has been converted from a winger into a centre-forward and that is not easy to do. That is a difficult task because you need a different skill set but he can hold the ball, he has pace, strength and is clinical in front of goal.
“He knows where the back of the net is and those sort of players cost money."
The Verdict
It would be some coup if Leeds were to go out and get Watkins this summer given the amount of clubs that are likely to be interested in him.
Patrick Bamford has been a key player for Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa, but I see more potential in Watkins and I can also see him fitting into life in the Premier League much better.
He has the pace, the movement and the energy to fit into Bielsa's style of play, and having led the line so well for Brentford, I think he'd be a revelation at Elland Road.