Daniel Farke facing more Leeds United transfer exits before deadline amid stark situation vs Southampton and Leicester City
Leeds United could be facing “more potential departures” still before the transfer deadline amid a “hard” situation for Daniel Farke, according to Ryan Taylor.
The Express journalist told GIVEMESPORT (22 August) that the Whites boss is at a disadvantage compared to relegated rivals Southampton and Leicester because he has no “core” to build around since they’ve already left, while the other two clubs have “wiped the slate clean” by selling big and resetting, but it could yet get worse at Elland Road.
Leeds have seen 12 players leave, either permanently or on loan, this summer with only four signings made, and Farke reduced to relying on academy graduates and returning loanees already this season.
Taylor said: “It’s been hard for Leeds because they don’t have the young gems coming through like Southampton and Leicester do.
“They do have them, but they don’t seem willing to put them in, whereas I think Leicester and Southampton have embraced their relegation and said that this is a chance to wipe the slate clean, and they’ve built a new-look side, and there are positive feelings around the clubs at the moment.
“So, Leeds need to get the wheels in motion in terms of new signings, and I think there could be more potential departures as well.
“It is hard for Farke because he doesn’t have a core to build around. A lot of his core has already left.”
Abandon ship
The Whites can scarcely afford to see any more players leave, especially after two star men in Jack Harrison (loan to Everton) and Tyler Adams (£20million-plus to Bournemouth) have gone since the season started.
It is true that were it not for an injury crisis at the very start of the campaign the mounting exits wouldn’t have left such a stark predicament, but there seems to hardly be a time at Elland Road when the club isn’t in the midst of an injury crisis.
Willy Gnonto has done pretty much everything in his power to join the exodus from the club, with Luis Sinisterra seemingly not far behind, but the news that the Italian international has been brought back into the first-team dressing room after talks with Farke and Angus Kinnear [Athletic, 22 August] may mean that bullet has been dodged at least.
The CEO indicated to the Leeds United Supporters Trust last week that the Adams sale should be the final departure, and that surely needs to be the case unless decent money is tabled for a peripheral player.
It won’t stretch that far but now the club has brought some cash in from the sale of the USMNT captain it should free them up to spend, and with a left-back, a striker and another central midfielder looking like priorities at the very least they need to do so quickly.
Glen Kamara appears to be the latter in the coming days, but Farke needs to be provided with a lot more in the final days or he will be fighting an uphill battle this year.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are targeting a Premier League option who has been bombed out by his manager.