The Leeds United contract talks that must be prioritised now to avoid 2027 headache

Leeds United's squad is in a healthy position but contract talks are undoubtedly going to take place this season.

The Whites have a number of players that are running close to the end of their current deals.

And Daniel Farke is among those with a 2027 contract expiration date at the end of this season.

However, while those potential free agent exits will be on the minds of the 49ers, they will also want to be proactive in avoiding the same next year.

As shown with Pascal Struijk, the Whites are not afraid to allow a star player to depart if a new deal cannot be signed.

Here are the players that may end up following Struijk's path next summer, if new terms cannot be hashed out in LS11.

Why Leeds have an Ao Tanaka decision to make next summer

Leeds are safe in the knowledge that Ao Tanaka will not be able to leave on a free transfer next summer, but they could look to cash out before then.

Tanaka's deal expires in June 2028, meaning at the end of this season, the Whites may have a headache over whether to keep him around or sell him.

Of course, that will all depend on whether contract talks have been initiated and no breakthrough had been found.

In the same boat as the Japanese international is Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is currently on track to be a free agent in the summer of 2028.

The LS11 outfit are not one of the richest sides in the Premier League, so bringing in funds for any player is a much-needed transaction, even if it is for a Farke favourite such as Calvert-Lewin.

And next summer an offer for either two may be tempting to accept if no success has been had in discussions.

Why two Leeds loanees may yet offer a headache at Elland Road

While not currently at Elland Road, both Wilfried Gnonto and Largie Ramazani's deals are also on course to end in 2028.

Ramazani is likely to join Burnley on a permanent due to the conditional obligation clause inserted in his loan.

However, the "conditional" aspect does not make that a guarantee.

Gnonto, though, is a more complex situation.

The Italian winger's loan deal only includes an option and not an obligation, so it remains to be seen if the loanee departs permanently.

If either or both return, Leeds are likely to seek exits next summer again, as clearly they are not in Farke's plans.

However, if those sales do not come, they could also look for an extension in order to protect their value.