Sunderland and Swansea City are interested in signing Marc Leonard when the midfielder’s Brighton and Hove Albion contract expires during the summer transfer window, as reported by the Daily Record.
It’s Groundhog Day on Wearside and, this time, it is Lee Johnson in the Bill Murray role.
Successive defeats, against Charlton Athletic and relegation-threatened Wigan, have taken a sledgehammer to Sunderland’s hopes of automatic promotion.
With the blunders of yesteryear still fresh in the minds, you can understand why the Black Cats faithful would be growing increasingly fearful of a fourth straight League One season.
Furthermore, Sunderland’s hopes of luring Leonard to the Stadium of Light could hit the buffers if promotion slips through their grasp once again, especially given that Swansea are interested too.
Swansea, after all, are still in with a chance of Premier League football. At the very worst, they will be a Championship team in 2021/22 – and that is more than can be said for Sunderland.
The Record claims that, with his contract running out in July, the soon-to-be free-agent Leonard is a man in demand. The Glasgow-born 19-year-old is weighing up offers from the Swans and the Black Cats as he prepares to bid farewell to Brighton.
Interestingly, Sunderland’s bitter rivals Newcastle United missed the chance to sign Leonard for £350,000 in January 2018, with the teenager swapping Hearts for the South Coast instead (Sun).
But could Sunderland suffer the same fate as their north east neighbours as another promising season threatens to go sour?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
