The summer transfer window is going to be a busy one at Leeds United, one way or another. Whether that is if Leeds do get promoted, or the club fail to secure a place in the Premier League.
Promotion will see Leeds look to clear the deadwood and make a number of signings. While the squad has performed well, there are a few areas of the side that need significant improvement for the top tier.
Tom Cleverley reckons Leeds have the quality of a mid-table Premier League side but that is at their best with confidence high and playing against Championship opposition. Leeds need a lot more if promoted.
Throwing it away and remaining in the Championship would not only see Leeds likely sack Daniel Farke, but also be forced to cash in on their best players with parachute payments reducing by a huge 25%.
One player will almost definitely be sold by Leeds United
Of the eight players that left Leeds in the summer of 2023 using Victor Orta’s relegation loan clause, four remain on the books. Brenden Aaronson and Max Wober have been reintegrated into the Leeds squad.
But Rasmus Kristensen and Jack Harrison went on loan for a second time, with the loan clause becoming active again in the summer of 2024. Kristensen is thriving out in Germany with Robin Koch’s Frankfurt.
Frankfurt are keen to keep him but do not want to pay the £12.5m permanent clause in Kristensen’s loan. Now, German newspaper Bild say Frankfurt only want to pay £5m to land Kristensen on a permanent deal.
Indeed, that would see Leeds lose £5m on the £10m signing of Kristensen. Bild report that talks between Leeds and Frankfurt are ‘intensifying’, with Frankfurt knowing Kristensen only wants to join Frankfurt.
How much Leeds have sold the other four Victor Orta loanees
The four that have left the club are Koch, Luis Sinisterra, Marc Roca and Diego Llorente and it is fair to say that Leeds made a loss on all of them. Relegation and a poor 2022-23 season saw their price go down.
| Name | Bought for | Sold to | Sold for | Total loss |
| Luis Sinisterra | £22.3m | Bournemouth | £20m | -£2.3m |
| Marc Roca | £10m | Real Betis | £4m | -£6m |
| Diego Llorente | £18m | Real Betis | £2.5m | -£15.5m |
| Robin Koch | £13m | Frankfurt | Free | -£13m |
| Total: | £63.3m | – | £26.5m | £36.8m |
With Kristensen and probably Harrison to offload, Leeds are set to make more losses which will of course impact Financial Fairplay and Profit & Sustainability Rules. It explains why Leeds had to sell in the summer.
Kristensen and Harrison were bought permanently for similar figures – Kristensen at £10m, Harrison at £11m – and the chances are, Leeds will be forced to sell both for around the half-price region.
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