Report names winner in Leeds hunt to sign highly-rated defender, seven-figure deal agreed
Watford have beat Leeds United and Tottenham in the race to sign highly-rated Stevenage defender Ben Wilmot, according to a report.
The Irish Sun claims that the Hornets have agreed a seven-figure deal worth over £1.5million for Wilmot, 18, and negotiations should be concluded this week ahead of making the move official in the summer transfer window.
It is understood that League Two Stevenage are happy to cash in on the centre-back, but will try to loan him back.
As well as Leeds and Spurs; Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Burnley, Brighton and Bournemouth are all said to have been interested in the England Under-19s international.
Wilmot only made his debut for Stevenage this season and has made 15 appearances in all competitions.
Football Insider verdict
It is not very often that there is such a race to sign a League Two player so Wilmot is clearly someone of immense potential. Watford seem to have beaten everyone else to his signature because there is perhaps more of a chance of him getting first-team football, but surely if anywhere was going to give him the best chance of that, it would have been at Elland Road. Watford tend to buy players rather than develop there own, so this deal could all just be down to the finances.
In other Leeds United news, fans want this senior player gone after his performance against Sunderland.