Kealan Hughes

Fri 5 March 2021 12:10, UK

Leeds United could be set for a busy summer with Phil Hay suggesting some players could leave once signings are made.

The Whites are likely to improve on a number of positions, and that means some fringe players may have to leave.

Defender Gaetano Berardi has not featured this term due to injury and his contract is set to expire, while midfielders Tyler Roberts and Helder Costa have mostly been confined to the bench.

Phil Hay discussed potential transfer activity on The Phil Hay Show podcast (14:48).

“Given that Leeds are trying to elevate themselves and will start replacing other people I do think it is the likes of Roberts, Costa and potentially Berardi and others who are going to be vulnerable when the window comes round,” he said.

“I don’t think on Saturday anybody particularly shone but I certainly couldn’t say Costa did.”

Big summer

This is will be an important transfer window for us and could give us an insight into how much ambition Andrea Radrizzani holds for the club.

If we spend big once again we can expect to begin challenging for the European places.

Signing players in the same calibre as Raphinha and Rodrigo will be key.

To make that happen we may need to sell players to increase our transfer budget.

Some players could find themselves surplus to requirement if better quality players arrive so that is not a problem.

It would be a shame if Berardi was to leave as he has not yet experienced the top-flight after giving us years of service.

As for Costa and Roberts, they have yet to prove themselves in the Premier League.

Costa has shown glimpses of form but has not justified his £16million fee, and we could recoup some of that in the summer.

Roberts’ situation is a little more difficult but he is young so a loan may be the best option when the window opens.

In other Leeds United news, in an MOT exclusive, Paul Robinson has told us that the Whites are plotting a move for a striker who could force a youngster to leave on loan.