Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media

James Barker

Fri 17 April 2026 11:40, UK

Jayden Bogle has to end the season strongly to cement his Leeds United place for next season, as do two other Whites players.

Leeds took a giant leap towards securing their Premier League status with the win over Man United, as they now sit six points clear of Tottenham in 18th.

With Wolves coming to Elland Road on Saturday, a win against the relegation-stricken Wanderers would all but mathematically confirm their place in the top flight for 2026-27.

As such, attentions will begin to turn to what the Leeds squad will look like for next term, and what positions and players need upgrading as we head towards the summer transfer window.

Therefore, these last six games of the season are going to be crucial for a number of Leeds players who still need to make sure of their respective places in the pecking order.

Jayden Bogle can cement Leeds United role with strong run-in

Signed by Leeds in the summer of 2024 from Sheffield United, Bogle has been an excellent value for money deal.

Bogle was excellent against Man United last time out, operating as the right win-back in a 3-4-2-1 formation that worked a treat for Daniel Farke‘s side.

However, the 25-year-old has had a mixed campaign in the Premier League, with inconsistent performances making his overall contribution hard to judge.

Therefore, it’s unclear whether he’s done enough to warrant retaining his starting role in the side for next season, or whether an ambitious summer window will see the Whites look to upgrade in his position.

Should he put in a few more performances like the one he did at Old Trafford between now and the end of the season, however, he could convince Elland Road decision-makers to avoid searching for his replacement this summer.

Ilia Gruev is falling down Leeds’ midfield pecking order

Having started 15 out of his 22 Premier League appearances this season, Ilia Gruev has really lost his grip on a place in Farke’s XI over the past few weeks.

Indeed, his last start came in the 1-0 defeat to Sunderland on 3 March, with only cameos from the substitutes bench to write home about since then.

The 25-year-old is entering the prime years of his career now, and won’t be content with seeing those out sitting on the bench.

So, if he’s to be a Leeds player beyond this season, then he surely needs to find some way of breaking back into the starting lineup and staying there before the campaign finishes.

Right now, Ao Tanaka, Ethan Ampadu and Anton Stach are all ahead of him in the engine room hierarchy, with the former of those really taking his chance in the latter’s absence.

Willy Gnonto needs to show proof of Premier League production

A divisive and certainly frustrating player among Leeds fans, Willy Gnonto is someone who clearly has bags of talent and potential, but is struggling to show that at Premier League level.

The Italian international has failed to score in any of his 17 top-flight appearances this season whilst providing just one assist, and has found the net only once in all competitions in 2025-26.

Because of this, the 22-year-old is proving hard to trust when it comes to delivering the goods at this level, but as he’s still so young, there is a fear of moving him on just before he puts it all together.

However, it has to get to a point with Gnonto where you can’t wait much longer, and so he has to be looking at these final weeks of the season as a vital period in his Elland Road career where he must show he can produce goals in the Premier League.