Journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed that Leeds United could 'hijack' Villarreal's deal for summer-linked star Ben Brereton Diaz.
The Lowdown: Leeds wanted Brereton Diaz last summer
According to TEAMtalk, both Jesse Marsch's side and fellow Premier League team Everton were interested in signing the forward last summer.
La Liga side Villarreal are now confident they can sign the player this month on a pre-contract agreement according to The Express, Brereton Diaz's deal with Blackburn Rovers expires this summer.
The Chilean has nine goals and 4 assists in the Championship with Blackburn, last season was his best-ever campaign in the league where he netted 22 times and assisted on three occasions.
The Latest: Leeds have opportunity to hijack the deal
Speaking on the 'JustJoe Football Show', Jacobs believes there's an opportunity to hijack Villarreal's deal due to the fact that Brereton Diaz was keen on the Leeds project last summer.
He stated (30:07), "Now we are in a scenario where we have outside interest coming in from Villarreal and it looks like Brereton Diaz might well be going there which changes what he told to Leeds towards the beginning of the window and last summer, which is that he was not interested in going anywhere mid-season.
"So this is going to be significant because if he moves that would still be pre-agreed, as I understand it anyway unless anything changes in the next 24 hours for the summer.
But they want to lock that in now, so is there an opportunity knowing that from Leeds' perspective? To try and hijack that deal because the player was originally relatively keen on the Leeds project, he just felt like the timing was wrong."
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The Verdict: Leeds should test the waters
Picking up the striker on a pre-contract agreement would mean that the Whites would spend no transfer fee for his services, so there would be no issue with dipping in the club's transfer kitty.
If Brereton Diaz was keen on the Leeds project last summer then he may be easily convinced to make the move to Elland Road.
The Blackburn striker has 38 Championship goals for his current side in the last three seasons, so he'll want to take that next step up and prove that he's ready for the Premier League.
At only 23-years-old Brereton Diaz is starting to prove he's more than just a Championship forward not only has he excelled in that division, but the forward has also started to come into the fray in the Chilean national team picking up 17 caps so far for the South American nation.
Leeds have added to their ranks up front in January in the form of Georginio Rutter, but adding another into the mix ready for next season would be a big boost.