£25m Southampton Star Wants To Join Leeds United After Spygate Chaos: Should Farke Agree? | OneFootball

Brazilian winger Leo Scienza is reportedly eager to leave Southampton and join Leeds United this summer, according to Football Insider. The 27-year-old delivered a sensational campaign in the Championship, registering 10 goals and 10 assists across 47 appearances for the Saints. His ambitions of reaching the Premier League have been derailed after Southampton were sensationally expelled from the play-off final by the EFL following their “Spygate” scandal.

Leeds United target Southampton winger as spygate fallout triggers mass exodus

Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert had authorised staff members to infiltrate rival training grounds and film their sessions, breaching EFL regulations. The admitted breaches concerned fixtures against Oxford United in December 2025, Ipswich Town in April 2026, and Middlesbrough in May 2026. The punishment cost Southampton a place in a final worth upwards of £200 million in television revenue, and the club also received a four-point deduction for next season.

Leeds United face competition but hold a key advantage

A report from RTI Esporte claims Scienza holds a £25 million release clause in his current deal at St Mary’s, a figure Leeds may well view as a bargain. The Brazilian is a natural winger but has also featured in a number 10 role, playing under a system similar to the one Daniel Farke deploys at Elland Road. Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Southampton will struggle to hold onto their best assets, with several Premier League clubs watching the situation closely.

“Southampton are going to be in a lot of trouble. Not only will they miss out on the money involved in getting promoted to the Premier League, but there are players in the squad who will want to move on.

“Somebody like Scienza, who has interest from top clubs like Leeds, it could be really hard to keep hold of him if that interest comes to anything. The player himself will be keen to make the move, and the club might not have a choice.

“This is the issue with remaining in the Championship because they may well get promoted next year, but a lot of the players won’t want to stick around. Scienza isn’t the only one, there are a few who Premier League clubs will be looking at, and if the money is right, then Southampton will struggle.”

Should Daniel Farke pull the trigger for Leeds United?

LEICESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 10: Leo Scienza of Southampton during the Sky Bet Championship match between Leicester City and Southampton at The King Power Stadium on February 10, 2026 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

This is one worth acting on, and here is why. Farke needs genuine quality in wide areas, not a reclamation project or a squad player. Scienza is 27, sharp, and has just proven himself over a full Championship season with double figures in both goals and assists.

Attacking options at Elland Road are slim, with fringe players struggling to make an impact under Farke’s system. A £25 million release clause for a player of this output is not expensive by Premier League standards, and Southampton’s misery only makes the negotiation easier.

The concern some will raise is his age. He is not a resale asset. But Leeds United are not in a position to be shopping for future value right now. They need someone who hits the ground running, contributes immediately, and fits a system that already suits his profile. Farke should move decisively before other clubs accelerate their interest, because Scienza is not the only Southampton player attracting Premier League attention this summer.