Phil Hay moots how Luke Ayling could be finished at Leeds United
Luke Ayling could be finished at Leeds United soon as the club move into a new transition period, according to Phil Hay.
Speaking on The Square Ball podcast (2 October), the journalist suggested that with the changing face of the Elland Road squad, the 32-year-old could soon be phased out.
Ayling started the first seven Championship fixtures of the season and captained the side in Liam Cooper’s absence, but has subsequently been dropped in favour of Jamie Shackleton.
Hay said: “We’re moving into a period now where there has to be a transition, doesn’t there? In the way as when you’re looking at Luke Ayling and thinking he can’t be forever at right-back. Ayling can’t just play there forever, eventually, it does have to be a passing of the baton.
“That’s probably happening at centre-back as well. We’re probably not far away, actually, from a lineup which has in it virtually no players who featured heavily or at all in the promotion season of 2019/20.”
Progression
With Ayling entering his eighth season at Leeds United, very few would question what an asset he has been to the club. As a fundamental figure under Marcelo Bielsa, he helped bring the Whites back to the Premier League after a decade.
However, Hay is certainly accurate when claiming the club is undergoing a transition. Relegation changed the tone at Elland Road, but the summer recruitment, both players and staff, have set them up to have a fighting chance at promotion.
The squad has a healthy balance of young talent vying to reach their potential and experienced professionals ready to part their knowledge and put a shift in. Ayling’s form has, understandably, been on the decline in recent seasons. At 32, he is now being kept out of the side by 23-year-old Shackleton.
Farke is keen to use youth in his squad, and he’s lucky that the young players in the side are good enough to cut it in the Championship. Ayling is certainly not Premier League standard anymore, so it would seem odd to stop the progression of the likes of Shackleton if promotion is the ultimate goal.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has mooted three Leeds changes against Queens Park Rangers.