Report: Leeds must pay record £30m fee to sign relegated star

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Leeds United would have to pay a club-record £30 million fee to sign Bournemouth’s Josh King who, according to the Express, is also a target from Everton and West Ham United.

The fact that so many Cherries players are attracting interest from Premier League clubs this summer merely highlights just how much Eddie Howe’s side under-performed during a disastrous 2019/20 campaign.

Back in August 2019, few would have expected that a team containing David Brooks, Callum Wilson, Ryan Fraser, Jefferson Lerma, Aaron Ramsdale and King would finish the season in the relegation zone.

Now, the inevitable exodus is well underway.

Ramsdale has returned to Sheffield United, Fraser departed on a free and Brooks is a big-money target for Leicester and Manchester United.

Penalty specialist King is also expected to be offered a Premier League lifeline, although a £30 million price-tag could have the likes of Everton, West Ham and Leeds scouring the market for cheap alternatives.

The newly promoted Whites would have to part with a club-record fee, after all, and they are already committed to paying £20 million-plus to bringing the supremely-gifted Ben White back to Elland Road from Brighton.

Another £17 million has been spent on signing Helder Costa on a permanent basis.

While £30 million is an eye-watering sum for a relegated player, Premier League survival is priceless.

In former Manchester United youngster King, Leeds would be reinforcing a less-than-convincing forward line with a proven, top-flight forward.

The Norway international has scored 42 goals in the last four Premier League campaigns, averaging double figures in each.

He is also equally capable of leading the line in place of Patrick Bamford, or playing alongside Leeds’ number nine as an inverted winger.