Leeds United defender Tom Pearce is reportedly attracting serious attention from the Premier League this summer.
Pearce enjoyed a hugely impressive end to the season, firmly putting himself right into Paul Heckingbottom’s thoughts as he considers his plans for next season. It would certainly be a huge surprise if Laurens De Bock is selected ahead of the academy graduate when the new campaign begins.
But perhaps Pearce may not be at Elland Road when the new Championship season kicks off. The Sun on Sunday (27/05; page 65) reports that Bournemouth and Everton are both keen on signing the left-back, and the Cherries have confirmed their interest with a £2 million bid.
Interestingly, Leeds are willing to sell Pearce for the right price, according to the report. And while the report does not suggest what Leeds’ asking price actually is, Andrea Radrizzani surely cannot justify allowing the defender to go for anything like £2 million.
Pearce is still an unproven talent and was not flawless during his run in the first-team, but he was still hugely impressive this past season, firstly for the under-23s and then, following his introduction into the senior side. His attacking intent also hints that he may have a future slightly further forward on the wing.
There is enough potential there for Leeds to stand their ground and insist that Pearce is going nowhere. He does not necessarily need to be a first-choice next term, but he is good enough to be a regular in the matchday squads.
There is no reason to believe that Leeds would even be slightly tempted by a £2 million bid for the youngster. But if the club are open to the idea of selling him, they should certainly expect a backlash if he becomes the latest academy graduate to be sold for what appears to be well below his value.
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