Leeds United will shiver as Jobe Bellingham transfer message sent to Sunderland
Leeds United fans will be very familiar with the feeling among the Sunderland support ahead of the final few games of the season.
Aside from the task of winning the Championship, Leeds can somewhat put their legs up, having sealed their promotion back to the Premier League with a 6-0 demolition of Stoke City on Easter Monday.
However, it was a very different story for the Whites last season, after they missed out on promotion to Southampton, who won the playoff final.
Everyone of a Leeds persuasion will remember the months that followed that shortcoming, and it may be a similar scenario that Sunderland face.
Sunderland could be in line for a similar summer
With the two automatic promotion places sealed, whoever else joins Leeds and Burnley in the Premier League will have to do so via the playoffs.
One of the teams vying for a place in the top flight of English football is Sunderland, who are looking likely to enter the playoffs in a wretched run of form.
Players like Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg have been linked relentlessly with moves away from Wearside, and a failure to get promoted could see those deals sanctioned, with “danger mooted” ahead of the playoffs for the Black Cats [Mackem News].
| Championship playoffs | Position |
| Sheffield United | 3rd |
| Sunderland | 4th |
| Birstol City | 5th |
| Coventry | 6th |
It won’t be the first time a side that fail to get promoted via the playoffs have their side dismantled, as the exact same thing happened to Leeds last summer.
Archie Gray, Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville were just three high-profile players who Leeds were forced to sell after their shortcomings, and the warning sent to Sunderland will definitely send shivers to those at Elland Road.
Leeds have a massive summer ahead
Thankfully for Leeds, this summer, there will be no concerns over losing players due to a failure to get promoted; instead, the focus will be on recruiting players to cement their status in the Premier League.
Leeds need to recruit smartly this summer, and they need to start early.