Leeds midfielder has ‘no chance’ of Elland Road stay, exit beckons
Daniel Farke has a busy summer ahead as he looks to prepare Leeds United for a return to the Premier League.
Although the Whites have had an excellent season, the hard work starts again soon with the task of staying in the Premier League, a tough one.
There has been speculation over the future of Farke, with some suggestions that he won’t be taking his side to the top flight.
However, as it stands, he is the man at the helm and will be thinking ahead about what’s to come with several players nearing the end of their contracts at Elland Road.
Joshua Guilavogui Leeds future made clear
Leeds will need to make additions to their squad in order to have the necessary strength for life in the Premier League.
With that in mind, there will have to be departures from Elland Road too, which will include players who are approaching the end of their contracts.
Joshua Guilavogui is one man who sees his contract expire at the end of the campaign, leaving question marks over his future in White.
Having joined Farke’s men back in October, the 34-year-old has gone on to make 16 Championship appearances this term.
As a result, it looks as though a departure is on the cards as The Athletic have reported (1 May) that there is “no chance” of the midfielder being offered new terms in the summer.
The report states that while he has had a big role to play in the dressing room, he has fallen too far down the pecking order to become what Leeds need in the Premier League.
Leeds have to make tough calls
Guilavogui may not have had the most minutes for Leeds this season but he has certainly had an impact on the side, playing his part in gaining promotion to the top flight.
That being said, Joe Rothwell and Ao Tanaka have emerged as the favourable pair in midfield and when it comes to backup players, the boss will probably be seeking fresher legs instead.
The West Yorkshire outfit will be looking to make Rothwell’s loan move from Bournemouth a permanent signing to aid their life at the top.
| Player | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Guilavogui | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Rothwell | 36 | 0 | 4 |
| Tanaka | 42 | 5 | 2 |
Given that Guilavogui is out of contract, that makes the decision a lot simpler for Leeds to make and the future now seems very clear.
This won’t be the last tough decision that is thrown Farke’s way this summer but if he is to prove why he is the right man to take Leeds forwards, it’s these calls that have to be made.