Leeds United trapped by Isaac Schmidt contract as summer transfer plans hit roadblock
Leeds United full-back Isaac Schmidt is in demand despite his struggles away from Elland Road.
The versatile defender joined Werder Bremen on loan from the Whites last summer but failed to get consistent minutes in Germany.
Ahead of next season, the 26-year-old Switzerland international has returned to the West Yorkshire outfit and they now have a decision to make over his future.
Leeds could be braced for offers for Schmidt in the coming weeks, but his base salary of around £500,000 per year may be a stumbling block in sanctioning his exit, with two years remaining on his deal at Elland Road.
The Whites signed the defender for a £4.5million package deal from St. Gallen in 2024, but he has failed to get into Daniel Farke's plans since.
At the moment, the Peacocks have plenty of quality in the full-back positions with Jayden Bogle, James Justin and Gabriel Gudmundsson, which makes it difficult for Farke to guarantee the Swiss national any minutes.
Isaac Schmidt wanted by two Super League heavyweights
Schmidt's exit from Leeds will depend on the financial terms being offered, which would need to be right to sanction his departure.
A transfer fee or a loan fee will also be payable for the Switzerland international and it remains to be seen how much the Elland Road hierarchy will demand.
According to Swiss outlet 4-4-2 on 2 July, Super League giants FC Basel and BSC Young Boys are interested in Schmidt.
The two teams are considering making a move for the full-back, who they think first "perfectly" fits the profile of player they're looking for.
Daniel Farke could face significant transfer headache at Elland Road
Leeds have already sold Pascal Struijk to Brighton and Hove Albion this summer and Schmidt could also be on his way out.
Sebastiaan Bornauw was a bit-part player for Farke in the 2025-26 campaign and it wouldn't be surprising to see the 27-year-old Belgian centre-back look for pastures new soon.
While Joe Rodon and Jaka Bijol have shown they can form a reliable partnership in LS11, the German manager could be left short on depth in the backline.
The West Yorkshire outfit are yet to announce their first signing of the summer, and there's plenty of work to do at Elland Road to build on the success of avoiding Premier League relegation.