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Report: 26-year-old will now not leave Leeds for free this summer

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Leeds United defender Robin Koch will not leave the club on a free transfer this summer.

That is according to Leeds Live, who report the Whites will receive a fee for his services if he is, as expected, sold in the coming weeks.

This comes after reports from Bild indicated Leeds’ relegation triggered a clause in his contract enabling him to leave Elland Road for nothing, with German clubs circling.

West Ham United v Leeds United - Premier League
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Koch has just 12 months left to run on his deal in West Yorkshire and had been looking to sign a new deal earlier this year, though it was put on hold given the situation Leeds found themselves in.

Leeds spent around £13 million to bring the German international from Freiburg back in the summer of 2020, though it remains to be seen whether they can recuperate what they paid for him.

Koch won’t leave Leeds for free

It would be interesting to see where those reports from Bild came from, as a clause such as that one would make absolutely no sense from Leeds’ perspective.

To be open to losing someone you paid significant money for is completely unthinkable and it is a relief to hear that will not be the case.

West Ham United v Leeds United - Premier League
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

Koch is one of a number of players expected to depart Leeds this summer and so it is paramount they look to bring in all the funds they can to reinvest that back into the squad.

The likes of Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have already been linked from the Premier League, while German clubs will also no doubt be keen.

The 26-year-old missed only two league matches for Leeds last season but in terms of profile, they already have a ready-made replacement waiting for the Championship in Charlie Cresswell.