Chris Sutton: Leeds United squad will be ‘Decimated’ if relegated from Premier League
Chris Sutton has insisted that the Leeds United squad will be “decimated” should they be relegated from the Premier League this season.
The Whites are currently one point ahead of Burnley and outside the relegation zone, but they need the Clarets to lose at Aston Villa on Thursday for it to stay that way heading into the final day.
Sutton predicted that Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha would be the first to leave Elland Road, although many more would likely follow over the summer.
Speaking live on BBC Radio 5 Live on Sunday evening [15 May], Sutton predicted a potential exodus at Elland Road with the best talent being picked off.
“If Leeds do go down, and there is a strong possibility Leeds will go down then key players are going to go,” he said.
“Phillips will leave, Raphinha will leave, do you think that Leeds could bounce straight back up? The squad will be decimated because other clubs will come in and take their best players.”
Exodus.
This would, of course, be devastating but it also has to be expected.
You can not expect the likes of Phillips and Raphinha to stick around and play Championship football, that is just not how it works at this level.
In the case of Raphinha, he will move on this summer regardless of which league we will be playing in next season, he looks ready for the next step and made that clear by sitting on the Elland Road turf alone after the full-time whistle against Brighton.
What is more worrying is that it was Phillips who joined him after taking emotional photos with his family, something which the pessimist in us thought also looked like a goodbye.
We do still have the belief he will stick around and sign a new deal should we remain in the Premier League, though.
With one huge week left to go in the Premier League, we all know that anything can happen and hopefully, it ends with us avoiding the drop and keeping most of this squad together.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has shared if Andrea Radrizzani heard fans chants during the Brighton draw