Departures out of Leeds United hot on the heels of Tyler Roberts are not expected imminently. The Whites are still waiting for interest in their senior players to develop into formal talks or bids which would bring any transfer to fruition.
Roberts’s move to Birmingham City was confirmed earlier this week, but LeedsLive understands none of the club’s other senior faces are especially close to transfers out. Relegation may have been confirmed more than three weeks ago, but any vultures looking to pick through United’s Premier League carcass have continued to bide their time up to now.
Departures are expected to run into double figures at Elland Road this summer, but any predictions the club’s best talent would be swiftly picked off have proven wide of the mark. While Leeds may have expected more activity before now, the full stop on senior international football may now bring more clubs to the table.
Robin Koch, Marc Roca, Crysencio Summerville, Jack Harrison, Tyler Adams, Rodrigo, Wilfried Gnonto and Diego Llorente have all been linked with moves away, but Leeds are not expecting any of them to depart imminently. Llorente and Roma are understood to be keen on a reunion next season, but Spanish interest has slowed that move down.
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Noises in Spain about Real Betis's interest in Roca continue to rumble on, but that move will only go through in the coming days if the La Liga outfit step up the pace in talks with Leeds. Reports from Seville suggest they need to pull a few more levers before putting the right financial package together.
The longer their wait goes on for moves to materialise, the closer they all tick towards a pre-season return in West Yorkshire. United’s next head coach will have the final say on who is due back and when, but there is every chance a lot of the club’s expected departures report for duty on July 2.
Junior Firpo, Koch, Roca, Harrison, Adams, Pascal Struijk, Luis Sinisterra, Jamie Shackleton, Llorente and Ian Poveda are all players who could be at pre-season on day one despite the possibility they leave before the September 1 transfer deadline. Meanwhile, the hunt for a new head coach continues.
Paraag Marathe, Angus Kinnear et al ended their interview process in London yesterday and while some talks could bleed into today, the bulk of the process has been concluded. The onus is now on United’s hierarchy to make that all-important, considered decision.
