Leeds United are one of the sides interested in Real Valladolid youngster Iván Fresneda, but face competition from Wolverhampton Wanderers and several other Premier League sides for his signature.
That’s according to AS, who say the 18-year-old ‘unleashes a frantic race’ in Europe and is set to be ‘one of the agitators’ of the January transfer window.
They explain that so far this season the highly rated youngster has ‘confirmed everything’ that has been predicted about him after a rapid debut in the first team and his performances in the youth set up.
The 18-year-old right-back is considered ‘one of the most promising’ young talents in European football and in recent weeks there has been a ‘frantic race’ to secure his signature.
Real Valladolid already ‘withstood the onslaught’ of interested parties for him a year ago when powerful European clubs reached out to try and get him.
They convinced the player to sign an extension that included a €10m release clause, something that scared off the likes of Atlético Madrid. That figure has risen to €30m after he played six games in the first team.
Fresneda has continued to impress this season, though, and Real Valladolid’s games have been ‘populated by emissaries’ from the Premier League, Serie A and Ligue 1 looking to make their final notes on the player’s development.
Most of the interested parties wanted to wait until the summer but it may be too late by that point and so they may make their moves next month instead.
Leeds and Wolves and two of the sides in the Premier League that have ‘already moved’ to try and get ahead of the competition while others are ‘considering it’.
Leeds’ interest is certainly not surprising given Victor Orta is in charge of transfers at Elland Road and has always kept an eye on the Spanish market.
Wolves also have strong connections in La Liga and with Julen Lopetegui now in charge, it has been suggested they want to expand their scouting efforts beyond Jorge Mendes’ contacts.
They have even added Fran Garagarza to their staff to help achieve this.
Either way both are in the race for Fresneda, who AS say could see his release clause rise to €45m if he hits 22 games.
That is why the interested parties are ready to move now and are ‘already talking’ about sums for around half of his current €30m clause.
