Daniel Farke makes Junior Firpo contract admission as Leeds United exit looms
Daniel Farke has admitted he has yet to think about a potential contract extension for Junior Firpo and Sam Byram at Leeds United.
Both fullbacks have entered the final year of their deals at Elland Road and are set to depart as free agents next summer if a deal isn’t agreed to extend their stay with the Whites.
Although the Leeds boss has revealed that transfers were his priority this summer, Farke insists when the time is right, the Whites will hold talks with both defenders over their future at Elland Road.
As quoted by Leeds Live on Friday (20 September) he said: “If I’m honest, I haven’t thought about this scenario so far because it was such a difficult summer and we had to speak about other things.
“There will be the time when we speak about the future. You also know how much I really rate Junior and Sam, and how important they are for us.
“Also from their personality. When we speak about Junior, especially also the last game against Burnley, after a long travel, he also played a really good game.”
Will Junior Firpo exit Leeds United after Elland Road contract update?
Leeds United are not in a position to rush into contract decisions at this stage of the season, particularly as Farke’s side embark on another push for promotion back to the Premier League.
While Firpo has been a mainstay of the Whites’ squad so far this season, question marks remain around his ability to perform consistently in the top flight after his previous spell in the Premier League with Leeds.
The Dominican Republic international struggled in the top flight and Farke and his recruitment team may well feel that they would be better off signing a new starting left-back if they are to win promotion back to the Premier League.
Although Firpo is understood to be settled at Elland Road [TEAMtalk, 12 September], that may not be the case if he becomes the second choice. At 28 years old, the defender will want to be playing week in and week out.
Agreeing on a new deal with Byram may be easier, however.
The versatile full-back knows that he isn’t going to be a regular starter at Leeds, but he may be willing to provide cover from the bench for another campaign regardless of what division Farke’s side is playing in.
In other Leeds United news, Stuart Dallas has made a new Archie Gray admission after what he saw him do at Thorp Arch
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