Charlton join QPR in tracking 21-year-old midfielder

Charlton, Fleetwood and Carlisle are interested in Brighton’s Marc Leonard, who has been linked with QPR.

HIGHLIGHTS

•  Charlton Athletic, Fleetwood, and Carlisle are all interested in signing Brighton’s Marc Leonard, who had previously been linked with QPR.
•  Leonard had a successful loan spell with Northampton and is now seeking to play at a higher level club.
•  Brighton is expected to make a decision soon regarding Leonard’s future and will prioritize his game time and playing style.

Charlton Athletic are among a host of clubs in the Football League that are keen on Brighton’s Marc Leonard, who had been linked with QPR as well.

Who is Marc Leonard?

The 21-year-old Scotland youth international joined the Seagulls from Hearts in 2018, and he is seen as someone who is highly-rated by the Premier League club.

However, Leonard has had to go out on loan to get game time, and he enjoyed a very productive campaign with Northampton last time out. The midfielder played 45 times as the Cobblers won promotion, and he was a standout performer.

Therefore, the natural next step is for Leonard to play at a higher level club, and it appears that will be happening.

Transfer interest in Marc Leonard increases

It has been claimed previously that the youngster is on the radar of QPR, although it remains to be seen whether Gareth Ainsworth pushes to bring the player to the London club.

There is further interest in Leonard though, with Football Insider revealing that Charlton, Fleetwood and Carlisle are all keen on the player.

They would all be able to offer the player League One football, and Brighton will ensure that their young talent has regular minutes as he looks to continue his development.

When will Leonard leave Brighton?

The update indicates a decision is expected soon regarding Leonard’s future, with the player set to sign a new extended contract with the Premier League side before he makes the move away.

That highlights how Brighton do still have long-term hopes for Leonard, and it will give him another confidence boost ahead of his loan spell, as he knows his future is sorted, ensuring he can concentrate on his football next season, as he looks to deliver at a higher level.

Who will sign Marc Leonard?

Obviously, this is going to be down to Brighton, and when you look at how they’ve managed their exciting young talents in recent years, it’s fair to say they know what they’re doing!

They will prioritise game time for Leonard, but the style of play is also important, and you can imagine from the teams mentioned that a move to Charlton would appeal. Dean Holden is building a squad that he hopes will compete for promotion, so there will be a bit more pressure at The Valley than there would be with Fleetwood or Carlisle.

Normally, QPR would be firm favourites for the player, as they can offer Championship football, but it remains to be seen how interested they actually are in Leonard. Plus, he would find it tougher to get in the XI for the R’s.

This also gives an indication of how it can be tough to get deals over the line, with many clubs in the Football League looking at the same players as they try to improve their squads ahead of the deadline.

Clubs have until 11pm on Friday September 1 to get their business done, so there’s still plenty of time, with the new season starting in a few weeks.