Highlights
- Oxford United are keen on securing talented midfielder Marc Leonard from Brighton & Hove Albion for their upcoming Championship campaign.
- Leonard’s impressive stats at Northampton Town make him a valuable target; he’s highly sought after by several clubs in the Championship.
- A potential midfield partnership between Leonard and Brannagan could be an exciting combination for the U’s.
Oxford United are looking to secure the permanent services of Marc Leonard from Brighton and Hove Albion, As per the Daily Record live blog (08:04).
Having just been promoted to the Championship following Josh Murphy’s double against Bolton Wanderers at Wembley, the U’s are looking to be swift about their transfer business and have identified Leonard as a top target.
Having spent the past two seasons on loan at Northampton Town in League One and Two respectively, the 22-year-old has developed his game and now seems ready for his big move away.
Oxford’s interest in Leonard
Having played against Leonard twice last season, it is believed that he caught the eye both times and quickly became a possible transfer target for Oxford.
In the Daily Record’s update regarding Leonard, they say that Des Buckingham’s side are ready to fork out a six-figure sum to sign the Scotsman. At the ripe age of 22, the midfielder still represents someone with a high ceiling and Oxford may see his asking price as a small cost to pay for a player of such quality.
Oxford will have to fight to secure his services though.
As reported, other clubs in the Championship including Cardiff City, Preston and Plymouth Argyle are also highly interested in bringing Leonard to their club and, further afield, Austria’s Sturm Graz and Poland’s Legia Warsaw are also keeping tabs on him.
Why Oxford need Leonard
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Marc Leonard’s time at Northampton Town was a stellar one.
In two seasons at the club, he has showcased why Brighton are demanding a substantial fee for him and not allowing him to leave for free.
Whilst his first campaign at Sixfields was superb, the promotion to League One has seen Leonard shoulder a lot of responsibility on his side.
A mainstay in Jon Brady’s team, he has made 46 appearances this term, accruing 4128 minutes, the fifth highest in the league.
Whilst his reliability is one factor, statistically, he is one of the best players in the league.
He ranks among the top five percent of midfielders for successful passes, accurate long balls, touches, duels won and interceptions. This has led to him having the fifth-highest average match rating on FotMob throughout the season.
All these contributions helped Leonard and his side secure a respectable 14th-placed finish, much higher than many of the pre-season predictions put them.
|
Marc Leonard 23-24 Season as per FotMob |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
46 |
|
Goals |
5 |
|
Assists |
6 |
|
Successful Passes per 90 |
52.6 |
|
Accurate Long Balls per 90 |
3.86 |
|
Touches per 90 |
82.5 |
Leonard and Brannagan could be the perfect partnership
One of the players who did rate higher than Leonard this season was Cameron Brannagan.
The 28-year-old has been a stalwart at the U’s for years now and a partnership between Leonard and Brannagan can get Oxford United fans excited.
Both incredibly well-rounded midfielders with an eye for goal, they may prove the perfect base for what is likely to be a difficult Championship campaign.
With the dynamic Rúben Rodrigues playing slightly ahead of these two and 20-year-old Tyler Goodrham proving a firm part of Buckingham’s plans, Oxford’s midfield is looking tier two quality already.
With Preston, Plymouth and Swansea the supposed Championship clubs keeping tabs on Leonard, the signing of the midfielder could prove a real coup for the U’s and would show a clear statement of intent.