"Outstanding" - Pundit reacts as Sheffield United and Hull City join race for Brighton race | OneFootball

Northampton Town loanee Marc Leonard is a wanted man this summer after a very impressive two seasons with The Cobblers in both League One and League Two.

Scottish youth international Leonard moved to Sixfields on loan from Brighton in the summer of 2022, and has impressed during his time at the club, helping them win promotion from League Two last season, before helping them to a mid-table finish this time around.

He's impressed so much that he's attracted attention from a number of Championship clubs, with the likes of Sheffield United and Hull City recently joining the race for his signature this summer.

The Blades are set to return to the Championship next season after relegation from the Premier League, while the Tigers are still in contention to sneak into the play-offs on the final day of the season.

Leonard's contract expires in the summer of 2025, so he could well be available for a bargain fee this summer.

Carlton Palmer on Championship interest in Marc Leonard

Former England international and current pundit Carlton Palmer has been impressed with Marc Leonard's time at Northampton Town and believes he would be a great signing for any Championship club this summer.

Speaking to Football League World, he said: “Sheffield United and Hull have joined the race alongside Coventry City and Plymouth to sign Brighton’s Marc Leonard.

“Marc, who’s 22, is out of contract in the summer of 2025 and the midfielder has been outstanding at Northampton Town this season. The 22-year-old won the Player of the Year award, and the Player’s Player of the Year award. He’s had a fantastic season, and it’s now believed that Brighton will not stand in his way of first-team football and a fee of £300,000 has been mooted.

“I wouldn’t say that Coventry City are out of the race because I think Mark Robins has done a fantastic job there, and he’s building another good team and there’ll be some continuity there with their new owners. Plymouth will be difficult because even if they stay up, which would be a phenomenal achievement, they will still be in the bottom half of the division. "Sheffield United will be going for automatic promotion next season and Hull and Coventry will be around the play-offs if Hull miss out this year. He’s proved what an outstanding player he is at that level, and he’ll be a good signing if anyone is able to get him in.

“He’s young, talented, a Scottish youth international, but he needs to play regular first-team football if he’s to carry on improving.”

£300,000 would be an absolute bargain for Marc Leonard

Football Insider have reported that Brighton would accept a fee of £300,000 from any interested party this summer, and that seems like an absolute bargain given his performances for Northampton and the potential to sell him on for substantially more money than that in the years to come.

It's no surprise that there's so much interest in the player given the price tag, and he looks destined to depart Brighton for a club in the second-tier this summer.

The midfielder played all 46 of Northampton's league games this season, starting every single game, taking his tally at The Cobblers to 97 in total.

There's no doubt that the two seasons Leonard has had playing first-team football in the lower echelons of the EFL has improved his game considerably, and he's ready to make the step-up to the Championship this summer.

It remains to be seen who will end up signing him, but Brighton are bound to have plenty of suitors this summer.