Leeds United’s retained list was submitted almost two months ago now but only on Thursday did one of the players released finally find a new club.
That retained list was the start of an extremely busy summer of outgoings at Elland Road with 17 players having been allowed to depart in the wake of Leeds‘ play-off final defeat to Southampton in May.
Archie Gray and Glen Kamara are certainly the two most high profile departures so far, but it is the work done in shifting some of the fringe players which has been most impressive.
Leeds have managed to secure fees for the likes of Charlie Cresswell, Diego Llorente and Marc Roca, while Darko Gyabi and Sam Greenwood’s loan moves feel like the last chance to show they can make it in West Yorkshire.
Cody Drameh, Jamie Shackleton and Liam Cooper are among those to have left on a free, though the latter is still yet to find a new club after hitting an impasse in talks with Blackburn Rovers.
Summerville reacts as Ian Poveda finds new club
Among the other players released by Leeds this summer included Lewis Bate, Luke Ayling and Ian Poveda.
Ayling’s exit had already been sealed in January anyway as he joined Middlesbrough on loan, and it was just up to them to find an agreement on a permanent contract.
Bate, meanwhile, spent the second half of last season at MK Dons and despite failing to win promotion, earned himself a move to ambitious League Two champions Stockport County.
As for Poveda, it had been a long summer of talking to other clubs since the end of his loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday, with various Championship clubs having taken an interest.
However, Poveda finally found himself a new club on Wednesday as he officially put pen-to-paper on a deal with Sunderland. He posted on Instagram after sealing the move.
Former Leeds teammate Crysencio Summerville were among the players to respond and wish him well for his move, as well as Arsenal youngster Charlie Patino, who he played with on loan at Blackpool.
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When is Poveda’s first reunion with Leeds?
Having only been on loan at Sheffield Wednesday last season, Poveda was ineligible to face Leeds in the meeting between the two sides in March.
However, he will have no such problems at Sunderland and his first reunion with his former club will come in the first week of October at the Stadium of Light.
Poveda will then come to Elland Road as an away player for the first time in Mid-February, and he should be in for a decent reception from the home crowd.
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