Craig Scott

Mon 18 May 2020 8:00, UK

If the season does resume then Leeds United fans will no doubt be sweating over the future of their on-loan superstars.

Ben White, Jack Harrison, Jean-Kevin Augustin, Helder Costa and Illan Meslier can all play an important role for Leeds in their final nine matches but the Whites might need to strike agreements with parent clubs to keep them all if the season runs past June 30.

Costa’s future at Leeds should be fine because the Yorkshire giants will sign him permanently from Wolves but everyone else’s future is up in the air.

What if Brighton want White back? Manchester City could play hardball over Harrison. Augustin’s not had the best of luck at Elland Road and might want to go back to RB Leipzig an Meslier’s impressive form may attract attention from elsewhere.

It’s unlikely that all those parent clubs will take their players back but still, it is concerning, especially when West Brom have clarity over their loan stars.

Slaven Bilic has a number of key players in his squad at The Hawthorns who are on temporary deals.

We all know about Matheus Pereira and the damage he has caused in the Championship this season but Albion have as good as signed the Brazilian on a permanent deal already, similarly to Leeds’ deal for Costa.

But the Baggies have others who are on loan, like Grady Diangana from West Ham, Callum Robinson from Sheffield United and Filip Krovinovic from Benfica.

All of them have played key roles at The Hawthorns this season and Bilic will be handed a major blow if he was to lose any of them, like how Leeds would if they lost any of their loanees.

However, West Brom have clarity over Diangana, Robinson and Krovinovic with Express & Star journalist Joseph Masi reporting that the Baggies have been assured that the trio can see out the season in blue and white stripes.

If the season is declared finished then they’ll go back to their parent clubs but if the remaining nine games are played, they’ll stay at West Brom until that happens.

That is the kind of assurance that Leeds are yet to receive over their loan stars and imagine how much of a blow it would be to the club’s Championship title bid if Albion can keep some of their best players but the Whites cannot.

In other Leeds United news, clubs are awaiting an official word from the EFL on this restart date after a major development this week.