Leeds United could now win the race for Charles de Ketelaere's signature as Club Brugge would prefer to sanction his move to Elland Road instead of offloading the forward to AC Milan, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.
The Whites have been busy since the transfer window reopened, with head coach Jesse Marsch spending close to £100million on reinforcements, but he could splash the cash on de Ketelaere next.
GiveMeSport Transfer Update With Dean Jones
What's the latest news involving de Ketelaere?
According to MailOnline, Leeds are waiting in the wings to sign de Ketelaere after AC Milan failed to meet Brugge's valuation of the 21-year-old.
The report suggests the Italian giants have offered £27million, which falls short of the £31million bid the Whites have made, but the eight-cap Belgium international would prefer to seal a switch to the San Siro.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed de Ketelaere had been added to Leeds' shortlist of targets when it became clear that Raphinha was set to seal his Elland Road departure.
It is understood that Marsch sees the Brugge star as a secondary striker or false nine, meaning he could provide versatility in the final third of the pitch.
However, RTL Sport have claimed that de Ketelaere is not interested in joining Leeds amid additional interest from Leicester City.
What has Dean Jones said about de Ketelaere?
Jones understands that Leeds are huge admirers of de Ketelaere and, as a result, are keen to get a deal over the line despite his initial wishes to join AC Milan.
The transfer insider believes the Whites have been boosted in their pursuit as Brugge would rather sell their star man to the Premier League side.
He feels the Belgian outfit are losing patience with AC Milan after failing to stump up the cash they are looking for.
Jones told GIVEMESPORT: "Leeds definitely like the player and, from what I understand, Brugge are getting towards the stage where they'd actually rather do business with Leeds than AC Milan now because they feel the deal would suit them better and could be done more seamlessly."
What would de Ketelaere add to Leeds' squad?
De Ketelaere may still be in the early stages of his career, but he showcased his talent by scoring 18 goals and supplying a further 10 assists last season.
That form, which saw him register an average match rating of 7.37 in Belgian top flight during the 2021/22 campaign, shows he will add firepower and creativity to Marsch's ranks.
De Ketelaere has even been likened to Paris Saint-Germain superstar Lionel Messi and Manchester City playmaker Kevin de Bruyne, which underlines that he has a bright future ahead of him.