Leeds, Newcastle alerted by warning of rival £6m bid for MLS-based midfield target

Leeds United and Newcastle United have received warning that another Premier League club has bid for midfield target Jose Cifuentes, according to reports.

Cifuentes is a 23-year-old midfielder who currently plies his trade in Major League Soccer with Los Angeles FC. He has been with them since 2020, when he left America de Quito in his native Ecuador.

During the 2022 MLS season, Cifuentes has played 24 times. Among those appearances, he has contributed seven goals and six assists.

Perhaps he could be a player capable of making a move to a European league in the near future. Indeed, he has been linked with a transfer to the English Premier League.

According to The Sun on Sunday, Brighton and Hove Albion have made a £6million bid for Cifuentes. The Seagulls have had success with some South American signings before, so have faith that the LAFC star could follow suit.

However, the report has added that Leeds and Newcastle have now been made aware of the developments. They are both keeping tabs on Cifuentes too and may now be receiving encouragement to speed up any bids of their own.

Whether either will be able to beat Brighton to Cifuentes, only time will tell. There is limited time remaining for any of the trio to make a move before this summer’s transfer window closes.

Besides, Leeds have already signed three central midfielders this summer: Marc Roca, Tyler Adams and Darko Gyabi. They should have accounted for the departure of Kalvin Phillips already.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are yet to sign anyone similar. Although, it was only back in January that they brought in Bruno Guimaraes.

Brighton might need Jose Cifuentes the most

Brighton, for their part, are yet to sign a direct senior replacement for Yves Bissouma after selling the Mali international to Tottenham Hotspur back in June.

Their need for a midfield reinforcement could be the greatest of the trio of Premier League clubs. And if they have really made an offer for Cifuentes, it shows that they know it.

If Cifuentes was to move to the Amex Stadium, he would find himself in the same squad as compatriots Moises Caicedo and Jeremy Sarmiento. Fellow midfielder Caicedo is developing well, so the potential new recruit would hope to follow in his footsteps on the South Coast.

Still, Leeds and Newcastle are big clubs who finished below Brighton last season. Therefore, they will be keen to make the appropriate final tweaks to their squads in order to catch up. Whether they can become more convincing for Cifuentes is another question.

Interestingly, this is not the only transfer saga in which both Leeds and Newcastle are mentioned. They have both been linked with another complicated swoop for a Juventus striker with a Premier League past…