Leeds United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours 2024/25

Ceist_Beag

Sounds a bit harsh calling him a flop in Berlin. The reports I read suggests he started poorly but improved and finished the season quite well. He played 30 games including all 6 Champions League games so that is hardly the stats of a flop. Bearing mind he is dropping a level to play in the Championship he could be an important player and is the type of player we were missing this season. If it frees Georginho up to play a wider role then it could be a good move. Not to mention it makes financial sense.

Kingp35

He needs to get himself in the gym and improve his core strength. He's an incredibly lightweight player that spends most of his time rolling around on the ground.

He has the technical skills so he could do well if he can improve the above. I think our hand was very much forced though as financially we have no choice but to reintegrate him.

J Cheever Loophole

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122249666#Comment_122249666

Gutted to hear about Phil Hay. It feels like losing a close friend who is moving abroad. He will be, for me, synonymous with the Bielsa years, as I first discovered him when we were chasing promotion in 2020. I've lost count of the times I have refreshed his Twitter feed, often in the vain hope of seeing the GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…OOOOAAAAALLLLLL tweet. His updates were like an emotional crutch, often when we were at our lowest ebb. 😞

Seathrun66

Poor evening for Wöber. Not that he’ll be back but there’s little tonight to make a return desirable.

Carcharodon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122271712#Comment_122271712

yea, I felt for him a bit but was a ridiculous own goal, saying that, i think we would be lucky to have him back, take emotions out of it, he is definitely a good player in the championship

whiterebel

I wouldn't want Wober within 100 miles of ER. His performance was nearly the worst of the lot. Yes I'm staying - until I get a bet offer - 10 minutes later….byeeeee

Some good news. Any Leeds players playing in the Euros will benefit us to the tune of £140k. A pity Wales didn't qualify as we are on £560k now from Wober, Kristensen, Liam Cooper and ……….Robin Koch!! Under contract until 1st July. Thanks Robin.

downthemiddle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122282323#Comment_122282323

I would love to see Wober and Kristensen back at Elland Road, playing for the opposition.

Carcharodon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122282323#Comment_122282323

i think that is a bit extreme, obviously he had a bad game and his exit was poor, Iam not saying I’d want him back but he is decent championship level, people need to remove themselves from their emotions when they perceive someone wronged the club or whatever, it’s a business, we are all guilty of marking big statements about players but nothing is ever simple

whiterebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286109#Comment_122286109

his performance in leaving the club, not in the match.

jonnreeks

Is Gnonto in the Italian squad! 🙄

xlogo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286500#Comment_122286500

No

jonnreeks

Will Gnonto be in the Leeds squad 2024/5 ! 🙄

Jimmy Two Times

So Harrison is gone back to Everton for another year. Can't see him ever coming back now. Always gave it his best and was part of the Bielsa team so no hard feelings here.

We'll always have the late winner at Reading and that goal at Brentford to remember him by.

On another note, not sure if I'm ready for the fixtures coming out tomorrow as it seems like 10 minutes ago we were coming home from Wembley.

Hoping to start with Derby away on the Friday night.

Mushy

Fixtures out, at first glance I'm not seeing a hard run anywhere. 2 away fixtures in a row over Christmas isn't nice, but not the worst travel distances.

Starting at home vs Portsmouth.

Zaph

Hoping to get over to a couple of games early on in the season, but I'll have to wait until Sky are done screwing with the schedule first to see what actually works for me.

Jimmy Two Times

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122305108#Comment_122305108

Had banked on Derby away on the Friday night being the first game. € 15.99 flight to EMA down the tubes.

Happy enough with the schedule except for the last game.

whiterebel

Roca confirmed as gone on the official website. No great surprise or loss. Undisclosed fee unsurprisingly. Probably won't have helped out PSR dramatically.

Sonny Perkins gone to Orient on loan for the season.

Zaph

I saw £3.9m mentioned for Roca. No idea if there's any substance behind that, but if that was the case there'd be a substantial PSR hit considering it was reported we signed him for £12m.

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122315025#Comment_122315025

Signed for £12m on a 4-year contract so if I’m correct after two years of that his value is down to £6m meaning a £2m hit which ain’t great but bearable if we can do better on other sales. Happy to be corrected on this but that’s my understanding.

GoldFour4

Archie off to Brentford for 35m. Not a great look for the owners tbh. Won’t go down well unless it transpires that he forced their hand

championc

A Gray to leave Leeds is a huge moment. Not something I expected while he is still developing. He thrives on regular playing, and I doubt he will be a starter there.

But maybe needs him and Jimmy to balance the books 🤔

whiterebel

If he thinks that he's going to improve by going to Brentford at 18, good luck to him. Liverpool would him guided him in gradually. I'm still not sold on him, he doesn't seem to have found his best position. £35M would probably just mean him and Jimmy going, and give us cash to strengthen the squad.

championc

Given Ampadu and Kamara are our midfield, then Gray as a RB for £35m is great business. And you can bet there will be add-ons for international appearances and a % in future transfers

whiterebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122318186#Comment_122318186

The more I think about it, Frankie left for Forest at 25. Being Archie's grandfather, if he was advising him, he probably wouldn't have had the loyalty to Leeds that Eddie has.

Hijpo

35m for an 18 year old, you have to take that.

10000maniacs

We capitulated in the last 10 games of last season and this is the result. Archie and probably Summerville departing.

People are blaming the 49'ers but it's down to the performances in the last 10 games.

It was always known we needed to balance the books if we didn't go up.

Carcharodon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122318122#Comment_122318122

that’s great business in my opinion, it’s a calculated risk, he may become a fantastic player worth more 35m is amazing value for Arhie considering where he is at right now.

Take emotions out of him leaving, it makes a lot of sense, that money goes a long way in the championship, he is very talented but I don’t see him being a super star, 35 m is a fantastic price

sonofenoch

I don't think Gray is a make or break player for Leeds in the short to medium term, he may go on to be a great player but at 18 in the Championship you can only sell for as much as you can get….if established in the PL you could hold onto players like this and see how they develop

Zaph

Graham Smyth and Adam Pope reporting that we've turned down Brentford's offer for Archie. Speculation is that Spurs are preparing a larger bid.

Mushy

It'll be awful to lose Archie, but like, at that money it's hard to be saying no

championc

I assume a player has to agree to move too. Losing Archie could jeopardize losing Harry.

But football is an investment for owners, who are ultimately looking for a big payday reward.

But 35m for a RB is a great profit

Ceist_Beag

If it turns into a bidding war we could see the price rise so it would be hard to see us turning it down. I'd love to see him stay but we always knew we'd be selling a couple this summer. I was hoping Archie wouldn't be one of them but such is life.

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122320693#Comment_122320693

If he’s going to go then I’d much rather him going to a team competing in Europe and with the chance of some trophies. And yeah, I know it’s Spurs I’m talking about…….😀

Reports are that it was £40m we turned down and the issue was the payment structure.

10000maniacs

At least Leeds have rejected the Brentford offer. Must be pushing for Rodon as part of a Spurs deal.

Mushy

Adam Pope has said Gray to spurs for 40m, then Rodon signing for 10m. Seems a good deal financially anyway.

whiterebel

On the Beeb now. They say £30-40m which ties in. He has done to 2 medicals, so we may take it that he wants away.

May well be another Jack Clarke.

jacool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122325466#Comment_122325466

Further on that BBC article

Charlie Cresswell is set for a move to Toulouse for £3.8m.

Marc Roca has also been sold to Real Betis for a reported £4m.

The sale(s) is/are believed to be enough to make Leeds compliant with profit and sustainability rules.

Zaph

Also a rumour over the weekend that Llorente might be joining Roca at Betis. No idea if there's any substance to it or what sort of fee might be involved, but it would be good to get another of the loanees off the books if we can.

Ceist_Beag

So does all that mean Cree and Gnonto are staying?

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122327025#Comment_122327025

Was wondering that when saw them in the training wear photos. Know that isn't an indicator, but gives some hope

championc

I cannot see Jimmy staying.

Yes, he could have a cracker of a season, or a mediocre one - so take the money and run xnd bank for next year if necessary

Tom2

Lots of Leeds fans losing the head on social media about the Gray sale. I think it’s a great bit of business.

The only thing that matters for 2024-5 is getting promoted. The contribution Rodon can make to that is every bit as big as Gray could, while we can presumably now hold on to Summerville.

championc

Who knows, like Jack Clarke, he could turn out average to decent, but no superstar.

There have been many young prospects down the years, who never managed to drive up to the next level. Shackleton, Mowatt, Geldhart, and longer ago Chris Dawson, Aidy White. There are so many U21 Internationals that never hit the big time.

Who knows, could we negotiate a loan back for the upcoming season too ?

whiterebel

Really glad to get Rodon back. Hopefully Struck can remain injury free this season, otherwise it looks like Coops as back up. Unless the young South American(?) kid steps up?

10000maniacs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122327656#Comment_122327656

Together with the fact that Gray wanted out.

He had a clause in his contract that if Leeds didn't go up, he could be sold for £40 Million +.

A couple of Youtube bloggers sheepishly stopped their tirades against the 49'ers after being informed of this fact.

Jimmy Two Times

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122327656#Comment_122327656

Leeds fans lose the head about all sorts on Social Media, best avoided like the plague.

For me, it's a sad day. It epitomises everything that's wrong about the modern game. Nurturing young lads from 5/6 years of age with the hope that some day they will make it in the first team. Seeing it happen and then having to move him on to compete with teams that cheat their way to promotion or to avoiding relegation. It's a bit of a sickener to be honest.

Don't disagree that Rodon is as likely to make as significant a contribution to a promotion campaign as Archie may have, but it's more than that.

Was there a release clause in the contract ? maybe. Did he want to go ? Maybe, but we will never really know. All I know is that every time he put on the shirt he loved it, gave it everything and relished playing at ER.

Try to tell me that he will ever experience as good a moment in his career as when he " scored " that deflected goal into the Kop end to put us 2-1 up against Leicester and I'm calling b*llshit.

I'll never forget that moment and I'm just some randomer who goes to a few games.

10000maniacs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330054#Comment_122330054

What do you mean maybe? There WAS a clause in his contract.

Nobody put it in there but Gray. There was nobody holding a gun to his head.

This means he wanted out if we weren't promoted.

Simples.

championc

Any news on his brother Harry ? Hate if the family moved south, and he went too - only from the point of view of there being another potential €€€ there, as he sounds like a better prospect

Ceist_Beag

Ah by the time Harry comes through we'll be established in the PL and aiming for CL spots so it will be grand. 😉

Jimmy Two Times

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330198#Comment_122330198

I'll take your word for it so.

Funny how it was only mentioned when the backlash started over the Brentford move.

Ah look, call me a cynic but I find it a little hard to believe that a lad barely turned 18, playing for his boyhood club where his family all played, wasn't even tempted to hang on for another year to try get promoted, same as Kalvin did.