A look at the latest Leeds United headlines on Wednesday, June 28.
Marc Roca's Leeds United departure 'a matter of time'
Estadio Deportivo claims Marc Roca's departure from Leeds United to Real Betis is now ‘a matter of time. The two clubs are said to have reached an agreement over a loan move for the former Bayern Munich midfielder.
The report claims a deadline is in place between the two clubs with the La Liga side hoping to offload some players before confirming the Spaniard's arrival. Roca is among a number of players expected to leave Elland Road this summer.
Read more: Leeds United can benefit by strengthening rivals with Sonny Perkins show of faith
Betis are said to have negotiated an option to buy in the loan deal, although it's not yet come to light.
Leeds United handbrake still on as Leicester City and others make unsettling head start
Leicester City are already making headlines with their transfer business ahead of the new season. The Foxes found themselves in a tricky spot following their relegation from the Premier League but they’ve wasted little time when it comes to making the necessary changes.
Enzo Maresca is the man they have chosen to lead their push for Championship promotion this season and with a manager in place, they are pushing ahead with recruitment to move two or three steps ahead of the Whites, who the bookmakers believe are amongst Leicester’s strongest rivals for promotion.
As per John Percy of the Daily Telegraph, Leicester have set their stall out by having strong interest in four high-quality players. Conor Coady, Harry Winks and Zack Steffen are thought to be on their radar, while it is claimed they are keen on Swansea City’s Joel Piroe, who bagged 20 goals last season for the Swans.
Of course, Leicester are expected to lose players and James Maddison is thought to be close to joining Tottenham Hotspur, but their activity has not gone unnoticed by Leeds fans, who are waiting for their own club’s summer to pick up pace one month after relegation was confirmed. Leeds, though, were not in the same boat as Leicester when they made the drop down.
Wilfried Gnonto Leeds United transfer latest as Bundesliga side join interested parties
Wilfried Gnonto is among a number of current Leeds United players attracting interest following their relegation from the Premier League. The young Italian international signed for the Whites from FC Zurich last summer and was expected to be a long-term signing at Elland Road.
However, the lively forward surpassed expectations and was one of very few positives to come out of Leeds' 2022/23 campaign. The former Inter Milan youngster made 45 appearances in all competitions for both club and country last season, with six goals and five assists.
It's that form that's attracted interest from a number of Premier League clubs and a host of clubs across Europe. Juventus and former club Inter Milan are reportedly keen on signing the 19-year-old.
Jordan Henderson has already explained what Liverpool's Nat Phillips could give Leeds United
Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson believes Nat Phillips deserves to be playing regular football rather than finding himself stuck on the Reds' peripheries. As first reported by the Athletic on Tuesday, Phillips is one of the players on Leeds United’s radar as they look to build their squad for the new Championship season.
Nick Hammond has enquired about the player and he is seen as an option for the Whites, during what promises to be a busy couple of months in the transfer window. Phillips is a centre-back, a position Leeds need to strengthen in given the expected departures of Robin Koch and Diego Llorente, but he has found himself stuck behind more established names in Merseyside after being kept around by Jurgen Klopp to provide the Reds with defensive cover.
As a result, the 26-year-old has made just 70 career appearances. He did make 17 outings for the Reds during their 2020-21 Premier League campaign, helping the club to qualify for Europe, but last season yielded just two league run outs, with three more coming in the Cup competitions.
He has spent time away from Anfield in the past at Stuttgart and a more recent notable loan at Bournemouth, where he helped to the club to promotion back to the Premier League. He made 17 appearances in four months with the Cherries and it was during his time on the south coast when Henderson sung his praises and underlined his quality.
