Patrick Bamford or Joel Piroe to be sold by Leeds United after Archie Gray exit to Tottenham
Leeds United are now expected to make multiple more sales after Archie Gray, including a senior striker, according to the Daily Mail.
Simon Jones reported via the paper’s website on 1 July that despite the star teenager leaving for Tottenham the Whites are obliged to trim their budget further, although the club reportedly insist that his sale wasn’t required for profit and sustainability purposes.
Amid interest in various first-team players, including Glen Karama, Leeds are expected to sell both left-back Junior Firpo and either Patrick Bamford or Joel Piroe.
That is in addition to Marc Roca making his loan to Real Betis permanent, and on the assumption that Charlie Cresswell was moving to Toulouse, although the latter’s transfer has since collapsed over personal terms [Adam Pope, 1 July].
Junior Firpo also expected to leave Leeds United this summer
If PSR wasn’t the reason that Gray had to go and more are expected to follow then it can only mean the near-£190million in past transfer fees that are still owed [The Sun, 24 May] are to blame.
It won’t make Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani any more popular if Daniel Farke’s squad is gutted, even if the German and his players must shoulder the blame for failing to secure promotion after a 90-point season in the Championship culminated in a play off final loss to Southampton.
Firpo, once fit, had his best campaign as a Leeds United player in the second tier as he provided eight assists from the left-flank, and his departure would leave the perennial problem position looking very bare, even if injury issues are a regular concern.
Bamford’s departure has been speculated on for at least a year now, but the English striker also contributed strongly in the second half of the season last term as he scored nine goals following the turn of the year.
Piroe was signed from Swansea for no small expense last summer and was expected to be the long-awaited solution up front in the wake of Bamford’s regular injuries.
Although his campaign was uneven he still contributed 14 more league goals to his excellent record of 41 in two Championship years in South Wales, and it would be a surprise for his £10million-plus [BBC Sport] signing to be given up on already.
Joe Rodon coming back in from Spurs is a positive development but if a full-scale exodus is still on the cards in West Yorkshire it could be uncomfortable.
In other Leeds United news, two more loanees could now make unlikely returns to the Whites squad.
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