Phil Hay: Leeds United duo could quit in January after Daniel Farke treatment
Phil Hay has claimed Leeds United duo Charlie Cresswell and Jamie Shackleton could quit Elland Road in January after the lack of minutes they have been afforded this season.
Cresswell in particular could be set to depart as the club were willing to sell him a year ago, and despite signing a new deal in the summer, has struggled for game time under Daniel Farke.
Shackleton, meanwhile, has been given more chances, but not as many as he would ideally like, and has been used outside of his preferred position at Elland Road.
Hay was speaking on The Square Ball podcast [23 November] where he shared: “There will probably be questions asked about Charlie Cresswell because Leeds seemed open to selling him a year ago, he hasn’t played much since then and he strikes me as somebody who would want minutes.
“Shackleton too, I know he is kind of in the mix, but we’re starting to get towards the end of his contract and this season he seems to be in the same situation that he’s been in for a long time.
“He’s got a coach who likes him and rates him and loves his energy and everything else, but actually isn’t using him that much. It’s not as if he’s been told ‘You aren’t good enough’, he’s just not getting used anywhere near as much as he would like.”
It’s probably time to move on
Both Cresswell and Shackleton have come through the academy at Leeds and have been talked about in terms of breaking into the first team setup for a while, but with that still yet to happen, it could be time for them to move on.
In Cresswell’s situation, he signed the new three-year deal in August in a commitment to his long-term future at Leeds, but his continued lack of game time which has seen him not even involved in matchday squads when everyone is fit will be a huge frustration.
Both players impressed in loan spells at Millwall last season as they pushed for a playoff place, proving they can cut it at the top level of the Championship, but the talent in Leeds’ squad is keeping them on the fringes, so their best option may be to leave.
It would be a shame to see either of them go. They provide quality strength in depth to Farke’s squad and also assist the club in their homegrown quota, but their careers may suffer if they remain at Leeds.
In other Leeds United news, Patrick Bamford has shared how Sam Allardyce ripped him apart.