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Exclusive: Brighton locked in transfer battle with Leeds, 6-figure fee will seal deal
Brighton have joined Leeds United in the hunt for Birmingham City rising star Adan George, Football Insider has learned.
The Premier League outfit are are among the elite clubs who have been keeping close tabs on the striker, 17, ahead of his contract expiring in the summer.
A Brighton source has told Football Insider that their club scouts have been watching George and were among those in attendance for Birmingham Under-18s’ 4-0 defeat to Wigan Athletic last week.
🎥 Adan George scored a quick-fire hat-trick as Blues U18s recorded their first victory of the season with a 5-1 win over Crystal Palace.
And he thinks he should have scored more.
Here's what he had to say after the game 👇 #BCFC pic.twitter.com/dQi9PSln4w
— Birmingham City FC (@BCFC) September 5, 2019
As revealed by Football Insider at the start of this week, George is also a firm target for Leeds.
He can be prised from Birmingham for a minimal compensation fee at the end of the season if they cannot persuade him to sign a new deal.
It is expected that a six-figure sum would be enough to seal the transfer.
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Birmingham have high hopes for the young forward, who has made rapid strides this season while playing for their youth teams.
He has scored two hat-tricks for their Under-18s and been fast-tracked into the Blues’ Under-23s side, where he has also been a major goal threat.
Birmingham City development coach Steve Spooner has spoken enthusiastically of his pace and power, describing his physique as “like a middleweight boxer”.
Brighton have become renowned for plucking top young talent from across the UK and overseas.
The transfer battle with Leeds for George comes at a time when centre-back Ben White is spending an immensely impressive campaign on loan at Elland Road.
In other Leeds United news, ‘His body language is terrible’ – Whelan claims Elland Road stars ‘fearful’ of one teammate.