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Bielsa’s Tammy Abraham? Leeds make initial approach to sign 9-goal prospect – report

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Leeds have made an initial approach to sign Juventus Under 23s striker Stephy Mavididi, according to TEAMtalk.

It is understood we are one of several Premier League and Championship sides to have approached Juventus over the Arsenal product, who moved to Turin last summer for £1.8million and made his Serie A debut against SPAL as a second-half substitute in April.

The Derby-born forward was rewarded with his senior bow after impressing club figures at the Old Lady for his efforts in the Juve youth team, with whom he scored seven goals and assisted once. Mavididi also struck once in the Premier League 2 before leaving the Gunners in August.

Maurizio Sarri is expected to make wholesale changes at the Allianz Stadium if he succeeds Massimiliano Allegri as widely expected, with a number of big-name and academy stars to be shown the door.

Mavididi is unlikely to be sold if the Chelsea head coach leaves Stamford Bridge after a year, but Leeds – along with Everton, Newcastle, Southampton, Burnley, Aston Villa, Derby, Fulham and Middlesbrough – are understood to have asked if the 21-year-old would be on offer for a loan deal to help continue his development.

Given his lack of senior football to date, it would be unlikely that the former England youth international – who represented the Young Lions from U17 level to U20 – would walk straight into Marcelo Bielsa’s starting XI ahead of Kemar Roofe or Patrick Bamford. However, his potential could see the boss land a Tammy Abraham-esque product, who is keen to show what he has to offer in the Championship.

The Chelsea-owned forward had excelled in the Pensioners’ youth squad but struggled to make the step up to the senior level at first when he joined Swansea, yet was unstoppable at times in the right system at Villa Park.

Roofe and Bamford both showed they have injury concerns last season, so we will need to sign another option this summer if Bielsa is unsure Ryan Edmondson is ready for more responsibilities.

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