Leeds, Norwich and Blackburn join Man United, Nott'm Forest and West Ham in midfielder pursuit | OneFootball

Blackburn Rovers, Leeds United and Norwich City are all interested in signing OH Leuven midfielder Mandela Keita in the summer transfer window.

That's according to a report from Belgian outlet Het Nieuwsblad, who say that the 21-year-old is keen on a move elsewhere this summer.

Keita has been on loan with Leuven's Belgian top-flight rivals Royal Antwerp since January 2023, helping them to win a domestic league and cup double last season.

The move could become permanent this summer, if certain conditions are met. However, it now seems as though the midfielder will have other options to consider as he weighs up his next move this summer.

Championship interest in Mandela Keita

Last summer, it was reported that Blackburn, Leeds and Norwich were all interested in signing Keita, though evidently, no deal materialise.

However, it seems the Championship trio have not entirely abandoned their interest in the one-time Belgium international just yet.

According to this latest update, all three clubs are continuing to show an interest in Keita, with the midfielder attracting considerable interest from England.

Indeed, there could be some considerable competition for those three second-tier clubs in their pursuit of the midfielder. Premier League trio Manchester United, West Ham and Nottingham Forest are apparently all also showing an interest in Keita.

It is also thought that the 21-year-old's current club are keen to cash in on him, and that the player himself is keen to make a move elsewhere when the window opens.

As a result, there could be an opportunity for one of these three clubs to swoop for Keita in the next few months.

Currently, there are just over 12 months remaining on Keita's current contract with Leuven, meaning the summer transfer window could be their last chance to cash in on him.

Blackburn are guaranteed to be playing in the Championship again next season. A 2-0 win over Leicester City on the final day of the campaign secured their safety with a 19th place finish in the final standings.

Leeds and Norwich, meanwhile, are set to meet at Carrow Road in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final on Sunday afternoon.

Mandela Keita may be a useful signing for Championship clubs

The signing of Keita would arguably be an intriguing one for the likes of Blackburn, Leeds or Norwich.

Right now, all three sides do seem to have a number of solid options in the centre of their midfield.

That position may, therefore, not necessarily need to be a priority for them in the summer transfer window as things stand.

As a result, if one of them was to be successful in their pursuit of the 21-year-old, it could potentially raise questions about the future of some of those currently on the books at those sides.

Even so, the level of interest that Keita is attracting, and his top-flight experience, and success, from his time in Belgium, does suggest that he has the ability needed to do a decent job for one of these teams.

It may, therefore, turn into something of a coup for whichever team manages to win the race for his signature come the summer.

So, with that in mind, these latest links with Keita may well be worth keeping an eye on over the coming months, for those connected with Blackburn, Leeds and Norwich.