Marley Watkins had his head turned by Premier League interest; do Leeds stand a chance?

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Leeds United are reportedly in the race to sign Barnsley attacker Marley Watkins.

Marley Watkins of Barnsley

According to the Daily Mail, Leeds United have made contact over a possible deal for Barnsley attacker Marley Watkins, given that he’s out of contract this summer.

Watkins, 26, joined Barnsley from Scottish side Inverness Caledonian Thistle back in 2015, and hit eight goals in 42 games in all competitions last season as the Tykes won promotion to the Championship.

Since arriving in the second tier, Watkins has excelled with Barnsley, notching ten goals and seven assists in 40 Championship appearances – but he now looks set to leave Oakwell.

Watkins’ contract with Barnsley expires this summer, meaning he is free to walk away and join another club, with the Daily Mail claiming that Leeds have enquired about signing him for nothing.

Barnsley’s Marley Watkins celebrates

With pace and an eye for goal, Watkins could be a smart addition out wide for Leeds, especially given that January signing Modou Barrow has made no impact at all since arriving on loan from Swansea City.

However, Watkins told the Sheffield Star in February that he submitted a transfer request in January having heard of Premier League interest – which he admitted turned his head as looks to reach the top of the game.

Leeds’ recent wobble has all but ended their play-off chances, and missing out on promotion could also serve as a major dent to their hopes of landing Watkins, if he really does have interest from the top flight.

Leeds United manager Garry Monk

There may be some glimmer of hope for Leeds though, as Watkins is a boyhood Swansea fan who may have not only crossed paths with Leeds boss Garry Monk with the Swans, but also witnessed him become a hero at the Liberty Stadium.

Monk’s presence could be a real attraction for Watkins, whilst staying in Yorkshire could be appealing too, with Leeds possibly needing to use other methods of landing the Welsh winger if they miss out on the Premier League.