Leeds United were never ‘certain’ Tyler Adams would pass medical this summer – Phil Hay
Phil Hay has shared that Leeds United were never certain that Tyler Adams would be able to pass a medical this summer amid Premier League interest.
The United States international was a target for a number of Premier League clubs this summer after it was revealed he had a relegation release clause in his contract, with a potential move to Chelsea falling through after it “hit a snag” [Phil Hay, August 11].
Adams ultimately made the switch back to the Premier League with Bournemouth later in August after the Whites opted to push the deal through despite the midfielder’s injury woes in a transfer that would earn Daniel Farke’s side £23million.
Explaining the midfielder’s exit, Hay reported for The Athletic (4 October): “At the points where Chelsea and Bournemouth came calling for him in the window, Leeds were never certain about his chances of successfully passing a medical after so long out.
“Chelsea weren’t convinced but Bournemouth pushed the signing through, committing to a deal from which Leeds stood to receive £23million before add-ons. And so Adams found a way out.”
Good business
The more that is revealed about Adams’ Leeds United exit, the better a piece of business it seemingly becomes for the Whites. Firstly, Leeds reportedly ended up getting a larger transfer fee than the American’s initial release clause as Bournemouth attempted to avoid a potential legal battle [The Athletic, 20 August].
With the money they did get they have then managed to provide Farke with an array of midfield options that would be the envy of the Championship, with Adams’ sale alone offering the funding to buy all three of Ethan Ampadu, Glen Kamara and Ilia Gruev to play alongside Archie Gray.
Then the American midfielder suffered a further injury setback having only just made his debut for the Cherries in the Carabao Cup and now it is revealed that the Whites never expected him to even be fit enough to complete a move away from Elland Road.
While a fully-fit Adams would have been an excellent addition to Farke’s side as they attempted to return to the Championship, with each passing piece of news about the midfielder, it feels as though Leeds United made an incredibly sensible footballing and business decision to sell him to Bournemouth.
Should he be able to return to full fitness and finally maximise the incredible potential that he showed in small glimpses in a Leeds shirt, fans will be much more likely to rue losing the 25-year-old, but Farke and the 49ers’ incoming business has made the American’s departure much less significant.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has also revealed that Daniel Farke was surprised by Max Wober’s transfer U-turn this summer