It appears that Leeds extending Kemar Roofe’s contract remains one of the most important pieces of business the Whites could do during the upcoming January window.
With eight goals, Roofe is already just four away from his best tally in a league campaign since joining Leeds. Nevertheless, the Yorkshire Evening Post reports that his contract expires at the end of next term and talks are yet to really get going – despite the Whites’ desire to keep him.
His goals should have arguably been enough to convince Leeds to offer the terms the forward wants. But after the 1-0 win against Sheffield United on Saturday, surely Roofe has provided another reason why the Whites must address the issue as soon as possible.
Unsurprisingly, Roofe started up front at Bramall Lane. But it became apparent during the first-half that the 25-year-old had been moved into a slightly deeper role. Pablo Hernandez seemed to be the one leading the line, as Leeds looked to get more of a stranglehold in the middle of the park.
It was a strategy that paid off for Marcelo Bielsa’s men with Hernandez scoring the only goal late on. But Hernandez was not the only player to benefit from the tweak.
Roofe’s role saw him put in an incredibly selfless performance. He was doing plenty of running to disrupt the home side. And while his energy was crucial, there were still those glimpses of real quality that helped unlock their rival’s defence.
It was not a display that included the individual brilliance of the win at Derby in August. But it was another indicator of how Roofe has become indispensable to Leeds’ side this season.
Extending his contract should be a formality.