Exclusive: Leeds among teams chasing Stoke winger as Potters set high demand over sale

Leeds United are one of three sides looking into a possible deal for Stoke winger Million Manhoef as they explore a potential Plan B for Jonathan Rowe – with the cost of luring the player away from Steven Schumacher’s men now coming to light, TEAMtalk can reveal.

Ever since Leeds failed to secure an immediate return to the Premier League, following their Championship play-off final loss to Southampton in May, fans braced themselves for some of their prized assets to leave.

Many were taken aback when academy jewel Archie Gray left for Tottenham for a fee worth up to £40m in early July, especially as Leeds supporters expected to lose Crysencio Summerville and Gnonto instead of the 18-year-old.

The Dutch winger – who scored 21 goals, bagged 10 assists, and won the Championship Player of the Year award last season – ended up getting his Premier League move earlier this month, though, with West Ham securing the 22-year-old’s services for a fee of £25m plus add-ons.

With the new Championship season underway, the Whites are standing firm on holding onto fellow wide man Gnonto, with TEAMtalk previously revealing Everton remain keen on the 20-year-old.

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And it seems the Yorkshire outfit are keen to sign a Summerville replacement, with Norwich City star Rowe top of their wish list.

The 21-year-old scored 13 goals and notched four assists in 38 games last season – and that has caught the attention of Leeds and French giants Marseille.

Our sources confirmed Leeds are ready to step up their interest Norwich academy product, with the Ligue 1 outfit reportedly ready to withdraw from the race to sign the £15m-rated winger, as they are not willing to pay that much for him.

Moreover, Rowe reportedly declined to play for Norwich against Oxford United at the weekend amid this transfer speculation – and that may not sit well with Leeds boss Daniel Farke, after a number of his players did that last season.

Leeds admire Stoke City star

But with the 49ers Enterprises potentially aware that a deal for Rowe may not get over the line, a new target has emerged from elsewhere in the Championship.

And TEAMtalk understands that Leeds, along with a number of unnamed Championship sides, are looking into a possible deal for Stoke City winger Manhoef.

The 22-year-old only signed for the Potters on February 1 this year on a three-and-a-half-year deal from Dutch side Vitesse but he made an instant impact at bet365 Stadium.

READ MORE: Leeds miss out as Slot sanctions sale of Liverpool midfielder hailed by Klopp as ‘really good’

The Netherlands Under-21 international, who is the son of retired mixed martial artist and kickboxer Melvin Manhoef, scored four goals and bagged an assist in 14 appearances to help keep Stoke in the Championship.

All four of his goals came in their last six matches of the season, with Manhoef, who was born in the Netherlands but is of Surinamese and Indonesian descent, bagging a brace in a final day 4-0 rout of Bristol City.

The winger was in the top 10 per cent among Championship winners and attacking midfielders for goals per 90 minutes, shots on target, successful take-ons that lead to a goal, and carries into the penalty area.

That, and more, has captured the interest of Leeds but securing the player will be far from easy.

TEAMtalk has been informed that, despite Leeds holding a preliminary interest in striking a deal, Stoke would rather keep hold of Manhoef and value him at upwards of £10m – a price the Potters hope will dissuade the Whites from furthering up their interest with a concrete bid.

For now, Leeds will continue to pursue a deal for Rowe and the hope remains that a deal can be struck for the England Under-21 star. However, in Manhoef, it seems they are also looking at a possible alternative should their approach fail to bear fruit.