Norwich City are rivaling Blackburn Rovers and Leeds United for the signing of OH Leuven midfielder Mandela Kieta, according to reports from the Netherlands.

The 20-year-old, who turns 21 on May 10, operates primarily as a defensive midfielder, and has attracted interest from the Canaries, claim Dutch outlet Nieuwsblad.

Keita has spent the second half of this season at Royal Antwerp after sealing a loan move from Leuven in January, but, according to CEO Sven Jaecques, the Reds cannot afford to make the move permanent with their €10million clause.

The four-times-capped youth international spent the majority of his junior career with his current club, joining Belgian giants Genk for a single season before returning to Leuven.

Keita has made 39 appearances for the club thus far, while he’s played 14 times for Antwerp since joining, scoring and assisting once each.

He’s featured for his country’s under-21s since his debut against Turkey in November 2021, most recently playing the second half as they beat Japan 3-2 in March.

Norwich are understood to be planning for a rebuild this summer, after Stuart Webber’s recent admission that “a number of changes” would be made as they shaped the squad for next season.

Limited finances could make tempting Kieta to Carrow Road a tough task against firm opposition in Rovers and the Peacocks, but recent reports have claimed that Webber will look to raise funds with the sale of valuable starlets Andrew Omobamidele and Max Aarons.

Speaking at a recent press conference about City's summer transfer ambitions, head coach David Wagner said: “We’ll get the plan we have in place. Obviously, normally nothing is done in one window, but you can do a lot. This, for sure, is what we aim for.

“We already had the first meetings and conversations with players and agents, so we are really working hard behind the scenes to improve this team and this football club for the next season.

“I’m absolutely excited about what is in front of us.”