Extent of Leeds United’s pursuit of £20m-rated Nottingham Forest player revealed | OneFootball

Leeds United have reportedly compiled a lengthy dossier on Nottingham Forest attacker Brennan Johnson but Brentford are the only side to have made a concrete bid.

Johnson continued his excellent form in 2021/22 by providing a goal and an assist in Forest’s 3-0 win over Barnsley yesterday – a result that moves them to within a point of the top six.

The 20-year-old’s future remains uncertain, however, with Brentford making yet another increased bid ahead of the game against the Tykes – this time said to include a 15% sell-on clause.

According to The Athletic, it could take an offer in the region of £20 million to prize Johnson away from the City Ground and the Bees aren’t the only side interested with Newcastle United and Leeds also named as suitors.

The report claims that the Whites have compiled a length dossier on the in-demand player and one source has indicated that the Elland Road outfit have for some time “known everything down to his inside leg measurement”.

However, it is understood that at this time the Yorkshire club has not made a concrete offer for the Forest academy product and Brentford are the only side to do so.

The Verdict

Johnson has been outstanding this season but his potential has been clear for some time and it seems Leeds have been tracking him for a while.

Whether that will lead to significant interest this month or in the summer remains to be seen but it does appear that there will be competition for the 20-year-old.

Keeping hold of him this month would be a huge boost for Steve Cooper’s side’s play-off hopes this term but a £20 million-plus offer may be too hard to resist for the East Midlands club and could do wonders for their promotion aspirations over the next few seasons.

One thing does seem clear, it won’t be too long before we see Johnson plying his trade in the top tier – whether that’s with the Reds, Leeds, Brentford, Newcastle or perhaps another side.

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