Brentford are reportedly in talks to sign Southampton’s Sam Gallagher as a replacement for Premiership bound Neal Maupay.

Sheffield United and Aston Villa are both thought keen to land the Bees’ top scorer for a fee of around £18million.

Thomas Frank is under no instructions to sell the Frenchman but it’s believed the offer from the Blades is too good to turn down for both the club and player.

Gallagher is seen as the ideal replacement for Maupay should he move on, and with the forward commanding a fee of around £5million, he fits into the budget at Griffin Park.

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Blackburn and Wigan are also keen on the 23-year-old but Gallagher, who only made a handful of appearances for the Saints last season favours a move to West London.

Gallagher spent two seasons out on loan whilst at the south coast club, with Blackburn in 2016/17 and Birmingham in 2017/8, scoring 17 goals in a total of 58 games.

Maupay has attracted interest all summer and it seems Villa’s Dean Smith and Blades’ Chris Wilder are prepared to give the 28-goal forward a chance in the Premiership.

If the quoted £18million fee is to be believed it would signify a huge return from the £1.6million Brentford paid St Etienne just two years ago.

Brentford have added goalkeeper David Raya and defenders Pontus Janssen and Ethan Pinnock to their ranks whilst a deal for Celta Vigo’s Mathias Jensen.