Leeds United transfer news: Unhappy Charlie Cresswell return to Millwall verdict shared amid ‘big’ wages update
Charlie Creswell’s potential Leeds United departure this month has a “fair bit of work to do” and a return to Millwall is currently not on the cards, according to Alan Nixon.
The Sun journalist reported via Twitter on 8 January that the 21-year-old defender has “big” wages for a loan move to be possible this month, and any exit will come down to who makes the best offer.
The youngster spent last term at The Den but has seen very little action under Daniel Farke after his return to Elland Road, which he is “definitely not happy about” according to The Athletic’s Phil Hay.
Asked about Cresswell’s future Nixon responded: “Cresswell and [Joe] Gelhardt not on bench again … but down to who makes best offer … and that’s got a fair bit of work to do.”
And with regards to a second switch to Millwall he said: “Not heard that … wages are big for a loan.”
Limbo
The FA Cup win over Peterborough on Sunday (7 January) was a positive afternoon, and Patrick Bamford’s wondergoal suggested his season might be turning a corner after scoring his first of the campaign against Birmingham on New Year’s Day.
But it seemed like the ideal opportunity to give Cresswell some action at long last, with the Englishman having barely seen the field in any competition since August.
That the defender wasn’t even given a place on the bench suggests he may be set to leave this month, given an appearance would have cup-tied him.
But with Farke thought to want him and Gelhardt to both remain at Leeds United despite their lack of action it makes for a highly-frustrating situation for both.
A permanent Cresswell exit would seem short-sighted, with Liam Cooper’s long-term future in question, but if his wages are a barrier to a loan move then it leaves him stuck.
Leeds United will ultimately need to decide whether paying him his full salary to not play, for peace of mind if Cooper, Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon were to have problems, or if paying part of it to let him develop further elsewhere over the next half-year would make more sense.
In other Leeds United news, Sky Sports report that a deal has been signed for a permanent Whites exit.