'Medical booked' - Leeds United and Everton beaten to 'top' Fulham transfer

Leeds United and Everton are set to be beaten to a deal for Fulham contract rebel Bobby De Cordova-Reid by Premier League rivals Leicester City.

That's according to The Telegraph, with the outlet reporting this morning that the 31-year-old will undergo a medical with the newly promoted Foxes in the next 24 hours ahead of a free transfer. Steve Cooper is said to have personally persuaded the player after he turned down a contract renewal at Craven Cottage.

The news will come as a blow for Fulham with head coach Marco Silva having previously confirmed he wanted the player to stay in London. The Portuguese boss said in May: "Our ambition, and what we want, is to have (him) with us again next season."

The former Cardiff City man has racked up 209 appearances for Fulham since joining in 2020. He was a key squad player last season, featuring in 33 Premier League fixtures and bagging six league goals.

De Cordova-Reid also bagged the only goal in an FA Cup win against Rotherham in January and after that match Silva praised the versatile forward. He said: “He deserves it because he’s a top professional, he’s a vocal guy and one of the great examples we have at the club in terms of focus, able to play in any position and he’s always there. He deserves all the credit and he deserves these good moments and good weeks.

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“It’s important for us and him because he needs these types of moments to lift his confidence and he needs the confidence to keep going in the direction we want him to be. Bobby has the capacity to score and tonight it was a great strike from him.”

News of an imminent Leicester City switch also comes as a setback for Leeds United and Everton with both clubs linked with interest in a free transfer for the winger. In June, TeamTALK reported that both the clubs were 'interested' in a deal for the player, with the no-free option for a transfer particularly enticing.