European duo reportedly join transfer race for Preston North End, Swansea and Cardiff City linked man

Preston North End could face more competition to sign Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Marc Leonard - after two European clubs reportedly joined the race to sign him.

Leonard is said to be a target for several clubs across the Championship, but now there is interest from beyond the UK. The Daily Record claims that both Legia Warsaw and Sturm Graz have put the 22-year-old on their transfer wishlist. Preston, as well as Cardiff City, Swansea City, Hull City, Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield United have all been linked with a summer swoop.

Sturm Graz and Legia Warsaw, however, could provide an opportunity for Leonard to play in either the Champions League or one of Europe’s other club competitions. Sturm Graz are top of the Austrian Bundesliga heading in to the final day of the season.

If they win the league, they will qualify for the Champions League group stages. Legia Warsaw can't win their respective league, but they are in a good position to qualify for the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Europa Conference League.

It was reported in mid-April that a bid in the region of £300,000 would be enough to secure the services of Leonard. He has just finished a season on loan at Northampton Town - in which he scooped a majority of the individual awards. Leonard played 49 times in all competitions and registered five goals and six assists.

He's been with the Cobblers for the past two seasons, helping them get promoted from League Two in 2023. His manager Jon Brady spoke highly of him and said that he was capable of succeeding at Scottish Premiership giants Celtic and Rangers.

In an interview back in March he said: "I know both teams have a lot of talent in the midfield, but Marc is an outstanding young Scottish player. I believe he can go all the way to the top and if Rangers or Celtic were to come in for him then I feel he has the talent to flourish for either side.

“He is beyond us now and rightly so. There is a lot of interest in him from the English Championship. Certainly with the ability he has, for me, he has to be testing himself - at least in the Championship. He would be a huge asset to any team in that league. The improvement in him has been scary.

“He came as a very good technical player but now he has gone up so many levels. He has risen to every challenge we gave him and in the end, he was just grabbing games by the scruff of the neck and being a real difference maker. He came as a young player but has left Northampton as a man.”