Report: Leeds Given Deadline for Sammie Szmodics Signing as Ipswich Makes £6m Bid

Szmodics won the Championship’s Golden Boot last season with 27 goals in England’s second tier and 33 in all competitions, despite playing as both a no.10 for Rovers and a striker.

Blackburn is open to selling Szmodics, with a fee of £20m required. Leeds and Ipswich are the leading candidates to sign him, but it remains uncertain if either club is prepared to meet that price.

Daniel Farke has shown interest in Szmodics during the 2023-24 campaign. While Leeds are well-stocked with forwards, neither Joel Piroe nor Patrick Bamford had impressive seasons.

According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon on his Patreon channel, Blackburn has set a deadline for Leeds and Ipswich to finalize a deal for Szmodics by the end of July. Blackburn wants to secure a replacement before the Championship season begins.

Nixon reports that Ipswich’s initial bid for Szmodics was only £6m, but it is likely that Kieran McKenna’s side will submit a higher offer for the versatile forward soon.

The interest in Szmodics could be detrimental to two of Leeds’ four strikers: Bamford, Piroe, Mateo Joseph, and Joe Gelhardt. Joseph is highly regarded and started against Harrogate Town in last Friday’s pre-season friendly.

Bamford is struggling with injuries and is on a slower recovery pace compared to the rest of the squad. Piroe, who performed well at Swansea, has been underwhelming at Harrogate.

Gelhardt might be allowed to leave if a good offer or a loan opportunity to a Championship club arises. It is possible that Gelhardt, along with either Bamford or Piroe, could depart if Leeds signs Szmodics.