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Toffees centre-forward Beto has been linked with a move to Elland Road ahead of the Whites' return to the top-flight

Former Premier League footballer and current Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has urged Leeds United to sign Everton striker Beto, after rumours of the Whites' interest in his services recently emerged following their promotion to the Premier League.

The Whites have gone up as champions of the Championship this season, and preparations will have already begun for next term back in the top-flight as a major summer window beckons.

It has been confirmed that boss Daniel Farke will be staying in charge for next season, so while they revel in the celebrations of another promotion, it is clear that the German head-coach will be busy in the months to come with a whole host of incomings and outgoings set to be sanctioned.

A new centre-foward is likely to be a priority signing for the club's hierarchy, despite Joel Piroe's impressive exploits throughout the campaign, and burly Everton frontman Beto is believed to be on their radar ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

Lee Hendrie backs Leeds to make Beto transfer approach - he would be a "really good" signing

Beto joined the Toffees on a four-year deal for a reported fee of around £25.75 million from Udinese in August 2023, and despite struggling to find his feet in English football in his maiden campaign at the club, he has been an improved player this season, especially over the last few months under David Moyes.

The Guinea-Bissau international has bagged seven goals in 27 Premier League appearances so far this term, with a particularly strong patch of form in February as he was nominated for the top-flight's Player of the Month award.

He has been key to Everton's upturn in form under Moyes, with his six-foot-four-inch frame lending itself to strong link-up play and aerial ability.

Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett has now claimed that Leeds are interested in a move for the 27-year-old, but it is unclear if the Merseyside outfit would allow their joint leading goalscorer to leave this summer.

Leeds are clearly set to be in the market for a new striker in the coming months, and ex-professional player and current EFL pundit Lee Hendrie has urged the newly-promoted Premier League side to pursue Beto's signature in the transfer window, as he believes he is exactly what Farke's side need to be successful on their return to the top-flight.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Hendrie said: “I think Beto has surprised a lot of people at Everton. Moyes has given him a big chance there, and he has come up with the goods, really, as Calvert-Lewin obviously hasn’t been fit for quite some time.

“I think the big question is: how do they replace him if Leeds are the ones to take him? And, can he be the type of signing that will keep Leeds in the Premier League?

“To be honest with you, I think they need someone with a bit of physicality up there, I really do feel that.

“Beto has got all of them attributes. He works hard, I feel like he is growing in confidence, and I think he could be another really good signing for Leeds, if I’m being honest.

“He has proven he can step up. I think he was waiting for minutes on the pitch at Everton, to be given that opportunity.

“I do feel that (Leeds) are looking and are in need of someone who has got those attributes. Because of the way they play with wide players, I think Beto would fit into that Leeds squad.

“I’m pretty sure (Leeds) will be linked with a hell of a lot of strikers, but the other question, on the other hand, is whether Everton will let him go.

“I’m sure the fee would have to be right if that was the case.”

Leeds have a sizeable transfer kitty to sign Beto - their chase is still set to face hurdles

Leeds had no issue scoring goals in the Championship this season, with their tally of 95 strikes being far and away the most in the division compared to the other 23 sides.

Despite their prolific nature, the distribution of those goals was well-spread across the squad, and even though Joel Piroe did end up as the league's highest scorer with 19 strikes across the campaign, he also scored in just one of their last 12 league outings, and is unproven in the top-flight.

They are no doubt set to bolster their forward line this summer, and Beto's impressive physicality and potential to be a cult-hero type figure at Elland Road does give the feeling of a transfer that could massively work out in the Whites' favour for next season.

With that said, new revelations have emerged over the likelihood of a switch to West Yorkshire for the 27-year-old, and Leeds fans may well be left disappointed, but there is still hope that he can join before next term.

Yorkshire Evening Post reporter Joe Donnohue has claimed that the move is "unlikely" to happen right now, but "not impossible" going forward, and his YEP article states that sources on Merseyside have indicated that a Beto sale could happen, but only if Everton sign a new striker and tie Dominic Calvert-Lewin down to a new deal, which would leave the Guinea-Bissau international as Moyes' third-choice.

The other potential stumbling block for a move could be the transfer fee that the Toffees would demand for his signature, but Football Insider have recently claimed that Whites boss Farke will have a budget of around £150million to spend in the summer window, so that may well turn out to be less of an issue than initially envisaged.

It remains to be seen whether Beto will end up at Elland Road anytime soon, but even if a deal does happen before next season kicks off, it does not look set to materialise in the next few weeks, with Everton needing to get their ducks in a row before a sale is sanctioned.