49ers fail to convince Leeds United stars to stay as Jack Harrison leaves for Everton, Tyler Adams and Willy Gnonto may go – Phil Hay
Leeds United have failed to get any of the three key men they hoped to keep at the club this summer to buy in to that plan, according to Phil Hay.
The Athletic journalist reported via the outlet’s website on 15 August that the new 49ers ownership wanted Tyler Adams, Willy Gnonto and Jack Harrison to stay at Elland Road above all as they eyed their full takeover from Andrea Radrizzani at the end of May, but “two-and-a-half months later, none of those three have been convinced”.
Harrison has already departed to Everton on loan after dramatic developments through Sunday (13 August), while Gnonto is also being chased by the Toffees among others and is currently at the centre of an “internal disciplinary matter” after dropping out of the Whites’ past two games.
Adams has a £20million release clause that expires before the window shuts and made the trip to London last week to seal a move to Chelsea after they triggered it.
Even though that move fell through as the Londoners moved on to throw huge money at Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia the USMNT captain could still go elsewhere in the Premier League with Brighton linked and Bournemouth interested [BBC Sport, 14 August].
Worst case scenario
It is reaching the stage where the majority of the players who might have been considered possible exits this summer are headed that way.
Of the key men from the Premier League squad that was relegated on 28 May only Patrick Bamford, IIlan Meslier and possibly Crysencio Summerville are not directly linked to an imminent exit.
That could easily change fast just as it has with the likes of Harrison and Adams who appeared until roughly a week ago to be staying relatively quietly at Elland Road as they recovered from injuries set to keep them out past the deadline.
It was always going to be difficult to hold onto any of the important parts of the squad, but the prospect of losing them at such a late stage, after the squad has been gutted already with the departures of less heralded figures, and with the lack of incoming moves, is all the more damaging.
Relegation is a set back to any player but a combination of wage-cuts, Euro 2024 coming up, and the general inability to strengthen the squad, appear to have created a perfect storm.
When even captain Liam Cooper, who infamously gave his teammates an ultimatum in the dressing room after the defeat against Tottenham that sent them down [Graham Smyth, 27 July], is being linked with a departure it is not a good sign for the new era.
Daniel Farke knew what he was getting himself into but even he likely didn’t expect it to play out as frustratingly as this, with the German’s task only having got greater since he arrived.
There are some positive points to hold onto amid the chaos right now, with the likes of Archie Gray, Ethan Ampadu and Charlie Cresswell providing some hope going forward, but until the window is shut they are going to be drowned out by possible defections.
In other Leeds United news, significant cash has now been put on the table multiple times for a player who wants to leave Elland Road.