Leeds United will play in the Premier League next season but some serious improvement will be needed before then.
There’s still a Championship title to be won but it’s difficult not to already think ahead to Leeds United’s return to the Premier League.
It’s set to be a seismic summer for the club, with a lot of uncertainty surrounding how Leeds will look come the opening day on August 16.
There have already been reports that Leeds are ‘considering’ sacking Daniel Farke due to concerns he won’t be able to keep the club in the top flight.
The German doesn’t have a good record in the Premier League but Simon Jordan believes Farke was destined to fail due to Norwich City’s lack of investment in his squad.
Jordan says Leeds will have to spend £50m-60m at a minimum to have a chance of staying up, with reports suggesting the club are preparing to splash out £100m on transfers.
Leeds will see revenue increase significantly with promotion but will be restricted in how much they can spend due to Premier League PSR rules.
The budget will increase if Leeds can raise some money through player sales, though.
Given that some players don’t look cut out for the big leagues, there are certainly those who should be sold before the new season begins and that doesn’t even include Joe Gelhardt and Jack Harrison, who are currently out on loan.
Illan Meslier
The most obvious casualty from Leeds’ promotion-winning squad will be Illan Meslier.
If it wasn’t for the goalkeeper’s several costly mistakes, the Whites may have secured promotion much earlier than they did, with his eventual dropping from the side leading to an upturn in form.
It’s not just that Meslier let several preventable shots slide past him, but he is a weak, unsteady presence in the box that the defenders in front of him couldn’t trust. Making the whole team shaky. There’s no way Leeds can start another season with him as No.1.
Karl Darlow’s calm competence settled the side when it was needed most but he probably won’t be good enough for the highest level either.
A new first-choice goalkeeper is desperately needed and any funds that can be raised from a Meslier sale – which won’t be much given he has just a year left on his deal – will be helpful.
Brenden Aaronson
It may seem harsh given he has played in every single Championship game this season but Brenden Aaronson is clearly not going to be cut out for the Premier League.
The American is not consistently quick or incisive enough in the Championship and will only struggle when there’s less space and better players challenging him.
Leeds need a much more skilful and clinical playmaker as a priority, only second to a new goalkeeper, this summer.
There’s nothing saying Aaronson couldn’t be a useful squad player given his fitness levels and tireless work on the pitch.
However, he can not be relied upon to be the creative spark that keeps Leeds up, especially when he could fetch a decent price given his nine Championship goals.
Mateo Joseph
Leeds could have cashed in on Mateo Joseph when Real Betis bid £10m for him in January, surely something they regret not doing now.
Joseph has played just 115 minutes of Championship football since the window closed, hasn’t made an appearance since March and hasn’t scored a goal since October.
The Spaniard is still young and promising but Leeds need players for the now, not the future. Joseph clearly isn’t deemed good enough and any cash that can be raised on his potential should be taken.
Max Wober
Despite his obvious talent, Max Wober has seen his season ravaged by injuries and has fallen down the defensive pecking order.
He has played just eight games, though did score an important goal against Derby, and his days at the club seem numbered.
A return to Germany is expected and anything Leeds can get back on the £11m spent on him would be a bonus.
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