George Overhill

Wed 13 September 2023 7:49, UK

Jamie Shackleton may have earned a contract extension at Leeds United already thanks to his surprise breakout in the early weeks of the season.

But the club need to move quickly to ensure they don’t see another player leave the club for next to nothing in the near-future, after a summer beset with low-cost departures.

Daniel Farke has already shown he values the 23-year-old, who has entered the final year of his Elland Road contract, turning to him in times of need at multiple positions so far this season, while admitting “I love Jamie” following the EFL Cup defeat on penalties to Salford City [Phil Hay, 29 August], indicating he sees him as a very underrated player.

Shackleton appeared to be on the brink of a departure from Elland Road this summer after five years of involvement in the first-team, having been on loan at Millwall last season, with LeedsLive’s Beren Cross calling him “done with the Whites” on 3 August.

But Graham Smyth of the Yorkshire Evening Post reported via the Inside Elland Road podcast (6 September) that the academy product was “sounded out” over a potential exit and said no, backing himself to impress the new manager.

He has done just that so far, proving himself the man for every occasion, as the German brought him in as a wide option when Crysencio Summerville was injured and both Willy Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra were away from the first-team squad, then making him the next man up at left-back when Sam Byram joined Junior Firpo out injured.

While the host of loan departures this summer thanks to relegation release clauses have been explained as attempts not to sell for below book value by Angus Kinnear [The Square Ball, 7 September], there have been at least two instances of Leeds United frittering away potential transfer fees for players who are highly unlikely not to be back.

Robin Koch’s loan to Eintracht Frankfurt will run up to the end of his Elland Road contract and see him leave for free, despite surprisingly wide interest in him this summer.

And after repeatedly overlooking Cody Drameh for a first-team role the talented youngster is also out on loan again, this time at Birmingham City, with his Whites deal set to expire next summer, when there have been various clubs linked to him too.

Shackleton leaving on a free transfer might not have seemed such an oversight as recently as a month ago, but having shown he could be key this season and potentially beyond, the club surely need to open talks on extended terms as a priority.

Even if he does end up leaving in the next year or two he could feasibly be worth a few million if his performances this season continue in the same vein, but on early evidence it looks far more likely that Farke will want him around.

In other Leeds United news, an expensive senior player is expected to make a permanent exit from the club according to Phil Hay.