Exclusive: West Brom keen to blow Leeds away to sign £2.5m-valued star, Stoke & Boro keen

EXCLUSIVE By Pete O'Rourke

Leeds United have been joined by Championship big guns West Brom in the multiple-club race to sign Brentford midfielder Romaine Sawyers this summer, Football Insider has learned.

Football Insider revealed yesterday that Leeds are rivalling Celtic to land Sawyers after the Scottish giants had a £2million bid for the 27-year-old rejected by the Londoners.

A source with knowledge of Sawyer's situation has told Football Insider there is also strong interest in the versatile midfielder from West Brom as well as Middlesbrough and Stoke City.

The Championship trio have the financial power to blow Leeds away in the race for Sawyers, after spending big on new signings in recent windows.

All three have the benefit of Premier League parachute payments after relegation from the top flight in recent seasons, while Celtic have cash generated from several Champions League campaigns.

Sawyers is entering the final year of his contract at Brentford and has emerged as a top target due to his creativity from midfield and his wealth of Championship experience.

The 2016 signing from Walsall made his name in English football in mainly attacking roles before mainly settling into a deeper central role in the last year.

Brentford do not want to lose Sawyers as they look to challenge for promotion next season, but his head may have been turned by the widespread interest in his services.

Sawyers has been a fulcrum of the Brentford side that is an established top-half Championship outfit and he made 41 league starts among 46 appearances for the club last season.

In other Leeds United news, it can be revealed that Bielsa is at loggerheads with club chiefs over increasingly big issue behind the scenes.