After Gnonto, Leeds can sign another exciting youngster for just £1.7m

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Metz are willing to sell France youth international defender William Mikelbrencis for as little as £1.7 million amid interest from Premier League outfit Leeds United, as reported by BILD.

Willy Gnonto is not the only teenager Leeds are hoping to sign before the month is out.

While a potential £7 million deal for Italy’s youngest ever goalscorer is edging ever closer – with Jesse Marsch confirming Leeds’ interest in his pre-Chelsea press conference on Friday afternoon – Mickelbrencis is another teen talent with admirers in West Yorkshire.

According to France-based reporter Loic Tanzi, Leeds have made an offer. So, too, have the fallen German giants of Hamburg; Their initial bid dropping around £1 million short of Metz’ two million euro asking price.

How much Leeds are willing to pay is, at this stage, uncertain. But The Whites have shown in the recent past that they are happy to invest seven-figure sums in up-and-coming talent with substantial re-sale potential.

Sam Greenwood, for example, cost £3 million when he arrived from Arsenal. Crysencio Summerville set Leeds back £1.3 million. Joe Gelhardt joined for a similar figure.

Willy Gnonto and William Mikelbrencis at Leeds United?

Mickelbrencis, a France U18 international, rose through the Metz academy and has started every one of their three Ligue 2 games this term. Should he join Gnonto at Leeds, Mikelbrencis is likely to feature for their U23 side initially while potentially being handed the odd first-team cameo.

It remains to be seen what his arrival would mean for Cody Drameh; Another young right-back with a bright future. Drameh, as Fulham will tell you, has no qualms about upping sticks and heading for a new adventure if he feels that first-team opportunities are out of reach.

“We know him,” Marsch told the LUFC YouTube channel on Friday when asked about former Inter Milan kid Gnonto, who scored 10 goals in his breakthrough season at FC Zurich.

“We think very highly of him, he’s a young talented player. We’re very active in pursuing things and we have some strategies. We still have time. There will be movement.”