Leeds United’s play-off final defeat to Southampton on Sunday means fans will now be left wondering who might leave the club this summer.
The clash at Wembley was Leeds‘ final chance to secure an immediate return to the Premier League, but after losing to the Saints, they became the only one of the three relegated clubs not to go back up, as Leicester City also won the league.
Those behind-the-scenes in Leeds’ newly formed recruitment team will have always been preparing for this eventuality, but now it is here, it does not make it any easier.
49ers Enterprises have already acknowledged key players will have to leave, with Leeds’ parachute payments cut by 10 per cent and around £190 million owed in unpaid transfer instalments.
Leeds do have a number of returning loanees they are confident can be sold, but ultimately, that will not be enough and members of this season’s playing squad will have to depart.
Crysencio Summerville, Willy Gnonto, Archie Gray and Georginio Rutter could leave Leeds
Daniel Farke‘s squad is currently littered with players below the age of 23 and while that inexperience may have cost them in the end, it does make them considerably more saleable assets.
Before the season had even ended, there were plenty of clubs already reported to be sniffing around some of Leeds’ players. Defeat in the play-off final now has them ready to pounce.
And journalist Rory Smith says there are four players from the current squad who are the most likely to go, with the names he’s mentioned not particularly a surprise to anyone.
Speaking on BBC5Live’s Football Daily, he said: “They will expect to lose Summerville and Gnonto. They will do all they can to keep hold of Archie Gray but that might be quite tricky. Even Georginio Rutter possibly might go.
“The saving grace is that the three teams that are coming down don’t look like they will necessarily be perfectly placed to go back up again.”
- READ MORE: Premier League club are now ‘confident’ of signing £11m Leeds United player permanently this summer
Summerville & Gnonto may move on, but Leeds must try keep Gray and Rutter
It is going to be practically impossible from preventing Championship POTS Summerville to leave given the standard of clubs interested in him.
Liverpool and Chelsea have both been mentioned as potential destinations, while history making Bayer Leverkusen are also said to be keen.
A parting of ways with Gnonto, meanwhile, also feels like the right time. It is said the 20-year-old is already looking at a return to Italy, and with bids in excess of £15 million rejected last summer, a similar figure would be good business.
However, if those two, as well as the returning loanees are sold, there is no reason why Gray and Rutter have to be moved on too.
Leeds paid a club-record fee to sign Rutter 18 months ago and unless a side is willing to come and take him for more than that figure, there is little-to-no benefit to him being sold.
What’s more, if Rutter can use the summer to fully overcome that hernia injury which has plagued him for the last two months, he should be ready to come and take the Championship by storm.
From Gray’s perspective, hopefully the fact he is a boyhood Leeds fan stands the club in good stead. Another season of Championship football could also be good for his development.
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
