Preston, Plymouth Argyle and Swansea City in transfer battle for Brighton player ahead of summer window | OneFootball

Preston, Plymouth and Swansea are among the clubs keeping tabs on Brighton’s Marc Leonard after his impressive loan spell with Northampton Town this season.

Marc Leonard’s career so far

The 22-year-old midfielder joined the Seagulls from Hearts as a teenager back in 2018, with the Premier League side recognising him as a player with a lot of potential.

However, game time has understandably been hard to come by for Leonard with Brighton, as they continue to go from strength to strength on the pitch, with his only two appearances coming in the cup.

As a result, he has had to go out on loan for his development, and the Glaswegian spent the previous campaign with Northampton, impressing as they won promotion from League Two.

Therefore, the Cobblers were keen to bring the player back as they prepared for life in the third tier, and it was agreed that Leonard would return to Sixfields.

Once again, it’s a move that has paid off, as Northampton are sitting comfortably in mid-table, and Leonard is starring for the side, having scored five goals and registered six assists in the league.

The youngster has particularly shone in 2024, as he’s managed seven goal contributions in his last nine games.

Marc Leonard transfer latest

Unsurprisingly, Leonard’s form has put him in the thinking of other clubs in the Football League, and journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that three Championship sides are considering making a move for the player in the summer.

“Brighton’s Marc Leonard is on the radar of Preston, Plymouth and also Swansea for the summer transfer window. Leonard’s performances in League One on loan at Northampton Town have been appreciated, he’s contracted to Brighton to summer 2025 with club option year.”

With Brighton having a one-year option, they’re in a pretty safe position this summer, and you would expect that they’re going to demand a decent sum if they are to cash in when the window opens.

Despite his obvious talent, the reality is that it’s going to be difficult for Leonard to get in Roberto de Zerbi’s squad moving forward, as they are a team that are pushing for Europe every year, and it’s obviously a massive step up from League One.

Marc Leonard’s next step

So, the next logical step for Leonard would appear to be the Championship, and it’s no surprise that clubs are looking to bring him in, and whether it’s a loan or a permanent transfer, it would appear to suit all parties.

Leonard’s willingness to go to Northampton shows that he is an individual that recognises the need to play regularly, so you would expect the prospect of making the move to any of the three clubs mentioned is going to appeal.

Ultimately, there’s still a lot of football to be played this season, with Plymouth and Swansea both battling to stay in the Championship, which is going to impact their summer plans. Plus, North End will hope they can reach the play-offs and potentially go up.

As well as that, Leonard will need to maintain his form over the next few months to warrant a summer switch to a Championship side, so it will be interesting to see how it all plays out.