"Bowen and Watkins" - Claim made as Liverpool chase Leeds United ace Crysencio Summerville | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Crysencio Summerville is having an incredible season on a personal level, having been Leeds United's best and most irreplaceable player for much of the campaign, which has naturally meant interest is building ahead of the summer.

The Dutchman made the move from Eredivisie club Feyenoord in September 2020 for a fee of just £1.3 million, which was an absolute bargain in hindsight with the then 18-year-old signed as one for the future, initially linking up with the club's Under-23 side.

After sporadic appearances over the last couple of seasons, Summerville has established himself as the key forward for Daniel Farke in the Championship. Prior to the final game against Southampton this weekend, he has scored 20 goals and created a further 10 this season from 45 games in all competitions from out wide, and developed incredibly in the second tier.

Now 22, Summerville has made it clear that he belongs in the top-flight next season, be that with or without Leeds. His productivity was rewarded for his campaign with the Championship's Player of the Year award recently.

Summerville signed a new deal at the start of last season, keeping him tied down at Elland Road until the summer of 2026, meaning failure to gain promotion would surely mean a departure this summer.

Liverpool are close to appointing Arne Slot as manager this summer, but transfer targets have long been on the agenda, with Fabrizio Romano shedding further light on their interest in Leeds' star man. Speaking via his Here We Go podcast, the Italian transfer guru explained that the club are monitoring Summerville ahead of the summer, having scouted him "multiple times".

The verdict on Summerville's links to Liverpool

FLW’s Leeds United fan pundit Kris Smith spoke to us and gave his reaction to the links to Liverpool. He said: "To me, i've always thought since the start of the season that Summerville will be a Premier League player next season, no matter what.

'"Whether that's with us if we go up, or staying down and he's sold. Though, finding his specific level beyond that is quite tough.

"We have seen loads of players from the Championship step up and become stars in the Premier League. "You've got Ollie Watkins pushing for the golden boot, Jarrod Bowen doing similar every season, and Crystal Palace have been finding gems all over the joint from this league. "There are players that can consistently make the grade when jumping up, despite it being such a vast difference between the top of the Championship and the top end of the Premier League. "I think Summerville falls into a similar bracket to Bowen and Watkins when seeing how good he has been in the EFL, and going to Liverpool would not really shock me. Given how Arne Slot clearly admires him a lot, and has wanted to re-sign him at Feyenoord as well. "With Liverpool, they are going to be in a transition next season, so if their fans are expecting someone to pull up Mo Salah numbers, then I think that would just be wildly unfair.

"Summerville being the example there, but I don't think there's any reason to suggest why he wouldn't be a good signing for them. He suits what they do with the ball, but also what they do against the ball as well."

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Summerville linked to Liverpool

Summerville is very Luis Diaz-like in his movements both on and off the ball, moving from out to in to do damage to the opposition.

His short bursts of acceleration make him a deadly weapon against deeper opposition, whilst his top speed has seen him at his best in transition for Leeds.

Of course, it is a huge step up, as Smith alludes to. However, it may be a risk worth taking should Leeds fail to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.