The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Monday 19th May) - Leeds United Announce Retained List

[Ellandback1]

Good Morning. It's Monday 19th May, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...


Leeds United Announce Retained List

Leeds are currently engaged in discussions with Junior Firpo and Sam Byram regarding potential contract extensions, as their current deals are set to expire on June 30th. However, Josuha Guilavogui will be released upon the expiration of his contract on the same date.

The club has offered new terms to James Debayo, who made two substitute appearances for the first team last season. In addition, promising Academy players Rory Mahady, Coban Bird, and Harvey Vincent have also been offered fresh contracts, as their current deals are also expiring this summer.

Unfortunately, eleven Academy players will be departing. Harry Christy, Cian Coleman, Connor Ferguson, Max McFadden, Amari Miller, Kris Moore, Joe Richards, Joe Snowdon, Luca Thomas, and Dan Toulson will not be offered new deals and will be leaving at the end of the month.

Firpo and Byram are the most prominent names on the list, and Leeds United is still considering their futures with the club. Firpo made 35 appearances last season, contributing 14 goal involvements from his left-back position. Byram proved to be a reliable understudy, making 39 appearances, primarily in the same position.

Guilavogui, a 34-year-old veteran, joined the club as a free agent in the fall following an injury crisis in Daniel Farke's midfield. While he was never a regular starter, the seven-time France international made 18 appearances, primarily as a late substitute to help secure leads.

The decisions regarding the Academy players reflect the club's ongoing efforts to develop young talent and build a strong foundation for the future. While it is always difficult to see players leave, these decisions are necessary to ensure the club's continued growth and success.





Solomon's scuppered Marseille move leaves Whites with strong advantage

Leeds United's pursuit of Manor Solomon has received a significant boost, with the player's agent suggesting a preference for staying in the Premier League (now that the Marseille deal has been scuppered). Shlomi Ben Ezra's recent statement has shifted the landscape of Solomon's future, signaling a strong advantage for the Whites.

Previously, a move to Marseille seemed the likely option for Solomon, offering the allure of Champions League football. However, Ben Ezra has now ruled out the French club due to "political reasons". Solomon himself remained unusually tight-lipped about his future, even amidst celebrations for his team's promotion back to the Premier League. This silence has fueled speculation and intrigue surrounding his next move.

While Leeds United will undoubtedly be encouraged by the latest developments, they remain cautious about overspending. Tottenham are reportedly seeking £20 million for the Israeli international, but Leeds are believed to have set their valuation closer to £15 million, reflecting their awareness of a limited transfer budget this summer.

A potential compromise could involve a swap deal. Tottenham are known admirers of Pascal Struijk, valued at around £25 million by Leeds. If a deal could be structured that sees Solomon move to Elland Road, Struijk go the other way, and Leeds receive a cash adjustment of approximately £7.5 million, it could potentially satisfy all parties involved. This scenario would allow Spurs to acquire a long-term target in Struijk while Leeds secure Solomon and bolster their finances.

Ultimately, Solomon's desire to remain in the Premier League puts Leeds in a strong position. Whether they can negotiate a suitable fee or engineer a creative swap deal remains to be seen, but the Whites are now firmly in the driver's seat for securing the talented winger's signature.

[The Subhuman]

Be interesting to see if we're running down the youth team squads or are preparing to add youth. Niners have shown little interest imo in establishing that side of our operations relying, up to now, on what was set up by Orta...

[weasel]

Leeds United's pursuit of Manor Solomon has received a significant boost, with the player's agent suggesting a preference for staying in the Premier League (now that the Marseille deal has been scuppered). Shlomi Ben Ezra's recent statement has shifted the landscape of Solomon's future, signaling a strong advantage for the Whites.

Previously, a move to Marseille seemed the likely option for Solomon, offering the allure of Champions League football. However, Ben Ezra has now ruled out the French club due to "political reasons". Solomon himself remained unusually tight-lipped about his future, even amidst celebrations for his team's promotion back to the Premier League. This silence has fueled speculation and intrigue surrounding his next move.

While Leeds United will undoubtedly be encouraged by the latest developments, they remain cautious about overspending. Tottenham are reportedly seeking £20 million for the Israeli international, but Leeds are believed to have set their valuation closer to £15 million, reflecting their awareness of a limited transfer budget this summer.

A potential compromise could involve a swap deal. Tottenham are known admirers of Pascal Struijk, valued at around £25 million by Leeds. If a deal could be structured that sees Solomon move to Elland Road, Struijk go the other way, and Leeds receive a cash adjustment of approximately £7.5 million, it could potentially satisfy all parties involved. This scenario would allow Spurs to acquire a long-term target in Struijk while Leeds secure Solomon and bolster their finances.

Ultimately, Solomon's desire to remain in the Premier League puts Leeds in a strong position. Whether they can negotiate a suitable fee or engineer a creative swap deal remains to be seen, but the Whites are now firmly in the driver's seat for securing the talented winger's signature.

Shlomi Ben Ezra - with him being an agent he's gotta have the nickname Shlomi the money!

F*ck's sake are you Cjay too with all this driver seat stuff? Apparently Cjay will only let us sign him if he drove a clapped out Ford Cortina, can change his own spark plugs mid race and can outperfrom the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car.

[Ellandback1]

Be interesting to see if we're running down the youth team squads or are preparing to add youth. Niners have shown little interest imo in establishing that side of our operations relying, up to now, on what was set up by Orta...

We need 8 home grown players in our squad for next season and if Struijk is on his way, that's a weird one.

Home grown 3 seasons at ER up to 21yo

I'm being told that the Leeds hierarchy promised Struijk a move this Summer

[Sean_Nile]

Far from abandoning the youth set up at ER, Farke has plans to develop a kindergarten team, so that Leeds will have ones for the future.

[WhiteRose]

We need 8 home grown players in our squad for next season and if Struijk is on his way, that's a weird one.

Home grown 3 seasons at ER up to 21yo

I'm being told that the Leeds hierarchy promised Struijk a move this Summer

home grown just means played in England for 3 seasons for any club before they turned 21 can you imagine the squad if they had to be just from our academy? Rodon, ampadu, Gnonto, struijk, James , Bogle,joseph, Bamford and byram all count as does Harrison if we get desperate. it’s not hard to sign others that fit the criteria though.

It’s a difficult one with the younger teams, 49ers will look at it and consider the last decade or so a bit dismal from a ROI perspective - who have we actually brought through successfully?

[The Subhuman]

Not worried about the home grown thing. Not worried about PPR either.

[danhirons]

home grown just means played in England for 3 seasons for any club before they turned 21 can you imagine the squad if they had to be just from our academy? Rodon, ampadu, Gnonto, struijk, James , Bogle,joseph, Bamford and byram all count as does Harrison if we get desperate. it’s not hard to sign others that fit the criteria though.

It’s a difficult one with the younger teams, 49ers will look at it and consider the last decade or so a bit dismal from a ROI perspective - who have we actually brought through successfully?

...or wales :D which is important for us!

[Tyzy]

What about the players out on loan ?

[Ellandback1]

Now that Liverpool have signed Kerkez from Bournemouth, Kostas Tsimikas is on his way to ER

[1964white]

Now that Liverpool have signed Kerkez from Bournemouth, Kostas Tsimikas is on his way to ER

Tsimikas would be a decent acquisition for Leeds.

65 appearances for Liverpool......no goals, ten assists.

The type of experience required, I was discussing on the other thread.

[1964white]

Sticking with Liverpool, Kelleher next up hopefully as the scousers are about to sign Mamadashvili who apparently is a monster according to a good friend of mine.

[Orange Box]

So Spurs could end up with a back line consisting of Spence, Gray, Struijk? Many on here would have been tearing their hair out at that prospect at ER. I’m glad I don’t have hair.

[Clitheroe White]

So Spurs could end up with a back line consisting of Spence, Gray, Struijk? Many on here would have been tearing their hair out at that prospect at ER. I’m glad I don’t have hair.

That would be a wacky turn of events.

[andrewjohnsmith]

Be interesting to see if we're running down the youth team squads or are preparing to add youth. Niners have shown little interest imo in establishing that side of our operations relying, up to now, on what was set up by Orta...

Not recruiting for the under 21's. But we are nurturing players at a younger age to progress to that level.

We still have several good players in the youths

[Jammy 07]

Not recruiting for the under 21's. But we are nurturing players at a younger age to progress to that level.

We still have several good players in the youths

We're not actively going out and paying fees for potential though like Orta did for;

Meslier
Summerville
Struijk
Joffy
Greenwood
Joseph
Gnonto

[The Subhuman]

Not recruiting for the under 21's. But we are nurturing players at a younger age to progress to that level.

We still have several good players in the youths

We do, but they're mostly Orta's players. Not a bad thing but nothing new in just younger getting older. 3 wins for the 18's last season

[SG90]

Firpo? Really? Firpo and Bogle as starting FBs, we'd concede bagfuls

[SG90]

We do, but they're mostly Orta's players. Not a bad thing but nothing new in just younger getting older. 3 wins for the 18's last season

No the best ones are the local homegrown ones, Orta wasted a lot of money on u23s who didn't get near the side. I'd rather we developed our own players rather than constantly buying players all the time.

[BlackHillsPaul]

Tsimikas would be a decent acquisition for Leeds.

65 appearances for Liverpool......no goals, ten assists.

The type of experience required, I was discussing on the other thread.

I would take Tsimikas as a replacement for Firpo in a heartbeat! The 40 times capped Greek International would be a massive defensive upgrade in my view. And he's only 29 years old so has a few good seasons left in him.