Struijk exit on cards amid Farke urgent transfer plans at Leeds United
Leeds United vice-captain Pascal Struijk could find himself in the Premier League sooner than expected.
According to Caught Offside (20 December), the 25-year-old is set to be at the centre of a three-way transfer battle between Tottenham, Brighton and Wolves in January.
And while the Whites are reluctant to lose the centre-back midway through a title-chasing campaign, the potential to make “a big profit” is tempting, with £25 million reported to be enough to bring Angus Kinnear to the table.
Daniel Farke has already identified a possible replacement and has urged Leeds to “immediately” sign Nico Elvedi, the Borussia Monchengladbach defender has a £8.2m release clause in his Bundesliga contract.
Leeds United could replace Pascal Struijk with Nico Elvedi
Struijk’s partnership with Joe Rodon in central defence is a key factor in Leeds surging up the Championship table to lead the pack this year.
The Dutchman is an influential figure in the Elland Road dressing room, and his displays in the second tier have attracted Premier League interest.
Although the Whites are overwhelming favourites to return to the top flight next term, it is still not a guarantee, and with Tottenham interested in his services, the prospect of playing in the Premier League and Europa League now may be too much for Struijk to turn down.
Furthermore, Leeds could gain a healthy profit on the centre-back and bring in a replacement, with over 300 Bundesliga outings to his name, for a fraction of the price.
In an ideal world, Elvedi would arrive in West Yorkshire to partner Struijk rather than as his replacement, but realistically, should Spurs come knocking this month, his head will be turned.
This month will be pivotal for Farke, with plenty of incomings and outgoings expected – securing automatic promotion will be decided by what happens in January.
The Whites finished the summer transfer window in the red with big-money sales of Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter, however, Kinnear will know all too well how much investment is required to remain afloat in the Premier League, and more funds could be deemed necessary to prepare for summer 2025.
Leeds supporters will detest the idea of Struijk leaving now, but with the opportunity to sign a top-quality replacement and make a profit – it is certainly worth keeping an eye on as the window progresses.
In other Leeds news, a Whites ace is caught in a rut at Elland Road after what Daniel Farke said.
For more Leeds news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.