There’s a number of players who left Leeds United for bigger and better in the past. But often it’s 50/50 whether the move eventually worked out for them.
The most recent player to leave Leeds for the big time is Archie Gray, who sealed a £37million move to Tottenham Hotspur last summer.
Gray started the Carabao Cup win over Manchester United on Thursday night having featured nine times in the Premier League this season.
He looks set to become one of Leeds‘ success stories when thinking of players who left Elland Road in big money moves, joining names like Raphinha.
But there’s plenty who haven’t. Kalvin Phillips is one, and fellow Leeds academy man Jack Clarke is another.
Ahead of January, there’s a couple of Leeds players being linked with Premier League moves, one being Illan Meslier who’s a target for Arsenal.
Elsewhere in North London, Spurs are linked with Pascal Struijk, who has a very good case study to look at before deciding whether Spurs is the right club for him.
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Pascal Struijk must consult Joe Rodon before deciding whether to join Spurs
Struijk’s centre-back partner over the last several weeks, Joe Rodon, is another player who left the Championship for the Premier League, but couldn’t make the move stick.
Spurs paid Swansea City an initial £11million for Rodon in 2020. But in four years on their books he made just 24 total appearances for the club.
Last summer, Rodon sealed a £10million switch to Leeds United, ending his time at Spurs which ultimately goes down as a failure.
So for Struijk, there’s certainly evidence very close by to suggest that the grass isn’t always greener in the Premier League.
Besides, with Leeds sitting in 2nd place of the Championship table as things stand, there’s every chance that Leeds themselves will be a Premier League team next season.
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Daniel Farke’s message to Pascal Struijk and Spurs is clear
Spurs’ emerging interest in Struijk will certainly be a worry for Leeds and manager Daniel Farke, as the Dutchman has become a key player in the heart of defence.
But speaking in his pre-Oxford United presser on Thursday, Farke said Leeds transfer talks won’t take place until January 4th when the Whites break for the FA Cup.
So for Spurs and indeed any other club looking to poach players from Elland Road in the winter window, they must hold their breath until January 4th.
Even then, Leeds look unlikely to sell any key players amid this promotion push.
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