Leeds United fans are still reeling from the news that Pascal Struijk has decided not to sign a new contract at Elland Road and will join Brighton. But Leeds have already identified his replacement.
Eight and a half years after joining Leeds during Victor Orta’s era, the former Ajax academy product is set to leave Elland Road. Struijk had entered the final 12 months of his contract, and Leeds have opted to sell.
£20m for Struijk: The best of a bad situation?
After eight years, Struijk is leaving Leeds.
Struijk was given the choice of signing a new deal or being sold this summer, with Leeds unwilling to let him leave on a free. Struijk has decided to search for pastures new and is set to join Brighton for £20m.
It sees the Seagulls replace Jan Paul van Hecke, who joined Tottenham for £52m. Struijk will link up with Georginio Rutter at Brighton, though James Milner has retired. Now, Leeds have found their replacement.
Leeds want Weston McKennie’s English teammate at Juventus
Former Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly left Newcastle on loan in the middle of the 2024-25 season to join Juventus on loan, before the Englishman signed permanently. He’s since played 65 times for Juve.
Alongside Weston McKennie, Kelly has just enjoyed a brilliant season with the Old Lady. Juventus are under no pressure to sell before the Financial Fair Play deadline tomorrow, but Kelly could depart.
Italian journalist Marco Conterio reports on X: “Lloyd Kelly could leave Juventus in this transfer window, with the Englishman attracting interest from Spain and England where Leeds has shown concrete interest.
“The Bianconeri have no obligation or urgency to make a capital gain by tomorrow, but they are clearly trying to gauge whether significant offers will arrive by the 30th for the players in the squad at home.”
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Why Lloyd Kelly is the perfect replacement for Pascal Struijk
Kelly is a left-footed central defender with Premier League experience, while also playing in both the Championship and the Champions League. This is a man who knows how to play in different systems.
Obviously, replacing Struijk requires a left-footed centre-back and Kelly fits that. But that scrapes the mere surface in terms of the comparisons between the two, with both reliable and consistent players.
Kelly vs. Struijk: 2025/26 Season Statistics
| Performance Metric | Lloyd Kelly (Juventus) | Pascal Struijk (Leeds United) |
| Appearances (Starts) | 35 (33) | 34 (33) |
| Total Minutes Played | 2,998 | 2,936 |
| Pass Completion % | 84.1% | 83.8% |
| Total Passes Attempted | 1,808 | 1,692 |
| Accurate Long Balls (Per 90) | 3.9 | 4.1 |
| Total Defensive Actions | 195 | 188 |
| Tackles Won | 44 | 42 |
| Interceptions | 48 | 45 |
| Clearances | 116 | 122 |
| Aerial Duels Won % | 60.3% | 58.7% |
| Yellow / Red Cards | 4 / 0 | 5 / 0 |
It is remarkable how similar the duo are in terms of the main defensive stats. Struijk edges Kelly by the odd few metrics, but probably only because Struijk played an extra 62 minutes during the 25-26 season.
If Leeds could pluck a player who is the perfect age, in budget, who knows the Premier League, then Kelly is it. It is quite clear why Leeds are now targeting the former Newcastle man; he is very similar to Struijk.
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