A couple of weeks ago, Daniel Farke offered Leeds United fans a peak behind the curtain into the club’s summer plans.
Plans which, for the time being, have been put on ice.
While the Yorkshire giants are still scouring the market for potential new signings as well as considering who to put up for sale, Leeds United will be in no position to make any real comittments until their fate is sealed.
Take Junior Firpo, for instance.
The left-back is reportedly Leeds’ second highest earner on £60,000-a-week. And Daniel Farke indicated that Leeds will not offer Junior Firpo a new deal until it becomes clear whether they will be a Premier League team or not.
Firpo, after all, is likely to be ‘too expensive’ for a team spending a second successive year operating on a Championship budget.
Leeds are interested in Krasnodar playmaker Edouard Spertsyan. He is keen on them too. But the £10 million-rated Spertsyan indicated that he would only consider moving to Elland Road in the event of Premier League football.
So while Leeds are particularly well placed to secure promotion – they moved five points clear by beating second-place Sheffield United on Monday – nothing will be officially sealed in terms of contracts or signings until promotion is officially confirmed.
Or not, in the worst-case scenario.
Daniel Farke opens up on Manor Solomon and Joe Rothwell’s Leeds United future
This also applies to the futures of Joe Rothwell and Manor Solomon.
Farke was asked about the on loan duo ahead of Saturday’s lunchtime clash with West Bromwich Albion at Elland Road.
Rothwell is on loan at Leeds from AFC Bournemouth. Solomon, meanwhile, joined on a temporary basis from Tottenham Hotspur.
“I always like to be in the drivers seat,” Farke explains. “But we are not [right now]. There is a time to speak about the future but not during the season.
“Sometimes, we talk behind the scenes. But, right now, it is crucial to make a decision once we know what division we are in.”
Leeds United News have been informed that Bournemouth will demand around £7.5 million for Joe Rothwell. That is a hefty fee for a 30-year-old midfielder anyway, let alone for a team yet to guarantee themselves a seat on the Premier League’s gravy train.
It remains to be seen whether Rothwell – not an automatic starter under Farke despite some key contributions – is considered for a permanent move anyway. The former Blackburn Rovers dribbler made a rather minimal impact in the first division at Bournemouth, starting only 15 games across two seasons.
Rothwell and Solomon will reportedly cost Leeds a combined £17.5m
The decision regarding Solomon, however, feels a little easier.
Especially now that Manor Solomon has confirmed he’s keen to stay at Leeds United beyond the summer. Following injury-hit spells at Fulham and Tottenham, the wonderful winger has blossomed in the talisman’s role afforded to him in Yorkshire.
Solomon had scored or assisted seven goals in eight Championship matches before travelling to Bramall Lane. And while he was unable to keep that run going on Monday night, Solomon was still Leeds’ most reliable creative threat until Junior Firpo drew the scores level with 72 minutes on the clock.
“Yeah, for sure, I think Leeds want to keep the player,” Fabrizio Romano told Give Me Sport this week.
“Obviously, you need to get promoted because Manor Solomon is a player from different levels, so there will be probably more clubs interested from the Premier League.
“Again, at the moment, is not something really advanced yet.”
Tottenham reportedly want somewhere in the region of £10 million.
As such, if Leeds were to sign both Rothwell and Solomon, this could eat up around £17.5 million of the club’s summer budget. A budget who’s size will be dictated by whether or not this season ends with champagne corks popping or a flat pint to drown the sorrows.
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