Good Morning. It's Friday 28th May, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Citeh to target Phillips as Fernandinho successor When you're on of the richest clubs in the World, you only want the very best - nothing else will do; even if it means treading on your friends toes to get them. We have all heard about the friendship and huge admiration that Bielsa and Guardiola have for each other but what happens when they want something that you 've got? Kalvin Phillips is in the prime of his life. His transition from Championship to the top flight has been seamless, he has become an England regular and he has won the admiration of millions. On the back of another Premiership title, Guardiola will already be plotting where he can make further improvements to his side, so they don't become another Liverpool. Fernandinho has been an amazing servant to the Blues since his arrival in 2013, but at 36, surely his best days are behind him. Could Guardiola tempt Phillips to the Etihad with promises of £100,000 a week, Champion League football, title races and silverware? Former City ace Steve Howey believes the blue side of Manchester could be targeting Phillips this Summer, stating: “He could well be. “I actually had a conversation with Gareth Southgate about him and I said I was blown away [over] how good he was. We were at Everton and I watched Everton against Leeds and he was excellent. He ran the show.” It looks like Phillips will be fit for the Euro's in just over two weeks time when England kick off against Croatia. Leeds have released footage of the 25yo being put through his paces with strenuous upper body, shoulder and arm workouts. If he performs well this Summer, his profile and price tag could swell to astronomical proportions, but at what point if any, should Leeds cash in? please log in to view this image Orta opens up on the Phil Hay show Leeds United’s director of football Victor Orta has been speaking exclusively on The Phil Hay show, and has revealed that he wants to conclude all transfer business in the next five weeks, talks about his relationship with Bielsa, an has an Alioski update. Orta said: “We have a very clear situation. You need to always be ready. It’s a difficult market. We obviously have ideas about planning that we are going to try to follow. “Like we discussed last summer, we prefer quality over quantity. In the end the quality can give us a value that we have that we are making right away. “We are finishing ninth in the best competition in the world, the most difficult competition in the world. In order to improve that we need to be really, really clear on what we decide.” “I still have a long month of June ahead. I hope that in June, we can try and finish the job. We can make the effort but as we’ve said before it’s not always in our control.” What did Orta say about Bielsa? “Now it’s easy to say but when he started, I received 200 messages from the world of football saying ‘You are crazy’.” The club’s director was also eager to praise not just the manager but the whole team at Leeds United. “For me, we work with the coach to try and enrich his work like data football. We are in service of the coach, we try to create the best environment for success. I give a lot of credit to the club. “I know obviously Bielsa was the masterpiece in a situation but I give credit to the club, to Mark Broadley (facilities manager) Angus Kinnear (managing director), Paul Bell (executive director) and James Mooney (press officer). “Without the help of a lot of people in the club aligning to help in these circumstances, we are not here. And that is when I discovered the real values of Leeds United.” And what about Alioski? “I don’t know, the contract is until June 13. “We’re very happy with Ezgjan. He understands our position. I understand his position. I think the last few days we have had a good conversation face to face, but it’s really necessary. “I asked him three things. His answer was really pleasing to me. He needs to decide about his own ideas, how he wants to be as a player next year.” please log in to view this image Leeds clear the decks The Whites retained list for the following season was released yesterday, confirming the departures of several first team and academy players. Leaving the club are Hernandez, Berardi, Bouy, Douglas, O'Kane and youngsters Cole Gibbon, Niklas Haugland and Matthew Turner. Leeds will also release eight scholars this summer, namely: Emmanuel Amissah, Jimiel Chikukwa, William Fewster, Ethan Kachosa, Samuel Leverett, Aaron Pilkington, Maximus Rigby and Cooper Skerry. Alfie Hughes, Owen Bray and Taylor Ragan have all had their scholarships extended. It was also revealed that a contract renewal for Alioski remains on he table! Is there anyone you would add or take off the list? please log in to view this image
Morning all Forshaw and Kiko would be on the list, I wouldn’t feel negative towards Roberts being sold either, those leaving haven’t featured in anything memorable. Philips I feel will want at least one more season at Leeds, if we finish 9th or lower he may feel it is time to move on. If we can challenge for 6th that might be enough for him to continue past next season. Philips is Leeds United, he supports them, he feels it. I’d be more concerned about holding on to Llorente and Raphinha as they’d be the two more likely to have their heads turned.
Kiko is lucky he has that contract,in hindsight it was waaaay to long and costly unless we pay it up who is going to take him. Forshaw agree with ristac as well should be sold, Roberts has got some nice touches but still don't see him as more than a sub at best. Kalvin has a price like everyone but if Lego head Maguire can achieve an 80 million price tag, then who knows what kalvin could fetch. Llorente and raph won't be going anywhere, the daughters dog didn't bark at a photo of them and he only barks at strangers
Sounds a good plan getting everyone in early. Because let's be honest you need to start pre season with Bielsa from day one. Anyone joining up late is always playing catch up. Phillips,Raphinha,Llorente will all get interest. if any champion League team come knocking it's then down to the club and player. Player power is bigger than a contract if someone wants to leave they will leave simple. doesn't matter if they are in their last year or on a 4 year contract. I'm confident the club will push offers away players well that's always a 50/50 call. If you get offered champs League football and someone offers to double you weekly wage it's very hard to turn down in any job. Retained list no surprises but I still see a few transfers if clubs come knocking for fringe players. Also interested in seeing which u23's come in as we now in a position to take the best from other clubs I'm just bloody happy knowing we are looking to add quality rather than worrying about clubs nicking our own quality throughout the club as in the past.. Happy days long may they continue.
Agree on Kiko 120%, Forshaw 95 %, Roberts 50/50 - wouldn't be gutted if he left but just have a feeling he may become very good. Kalvin is a big concern for me. Another poster can vouch for this but I had a really good conversation with him 2 years ago when we missed out on Promotion. The gist of it was, give it another year, get Leeds into the Prem and you will make the England Squad and you will be a Leeds legend and would likely go with the fans blessing. If we fail to get promotion, no-one could blame you for wanting to go. I am really torn, I want to believe your version but the big problem is, he only has one career, if someone like City came in and whacked up his money as well as being able to offer the chance to challenge for all the major honours can he really say no? Much as I would love to believe we will be in that position I can't say I genuinely see it happening during Kalvin's career. I would be more gutted if he left than any other player I can remember tbh
Nobody will sign Kiko. We are stuck with him. Nobody will want Forshaw. He hasn't proved his fitness just yet. Why would somebody offer money for him? If we released him then we would still have to pay up his contract. Keep him and hope for a miracle and he gets back to full fitness. Roberts is a strange one. He is not as bad as a few on here think but he has to improve his decision making and do things just that little bit quicker. He is capable of having an impact he just needs consistency. As for Phillips leaving. I'm not sure he is good enough at the very top level. He has always lacked that little bit of pace. I'm not convinced that the really top clubs in Europe would be looking at him tbh. I wouldn't be worried about the Barca, real Madrid, Man City or PSG clubs coming for him. He's not quite there. I'm more worried about 2nd tier clubs like Chelsea, Spurs, Man Utd, Liverpool types coming in for him.
Spot on regarding Philips, as for Roberts how many more years do we give him to become the world beater.
Every team that has top players will always have speculation about them and we have had it a couple of years ago with Kalvin Phillips, he decided to stay. I think he knows we are on the verge of something special, so he will not want to leave his home town club. We also see speculation about Raphinha and Bamford, but dont think we will lose anyone we dont want to lose. i have got a better understanding now of Alioski due to what Orta has said. In his interview he he said Alioski and him had had talks, but he also said that the effort Alioski put into the last 10 was phenomenal and deserves praise. He also added that Alioski was silly because he had no pre contract agreement with anyone and if he had got injuredin those games he may have been out of work. Orta praised him because he said he had a keeper at Saville who Real Madrid were going to sign at the end of the season, and it would have changed his families life forever, but he got an ACL in yhe last match and ended up out of work for a year trying to get fit. So I applaud the little git for that and if he wants to stay and Bielsa wants him, then Im happy too. I will say the same about Roberts but he needs to stop bigging himself up, taking the knee, start looking up and making the pass and score goals like everyone else Forshaw, Kiko and Costa? Well I think they need moving on. Yes Kiko can do understudy, but Costa doesnt seem to be committed or capable of understudying Raphinha and will Forshaw ever be able to play?
Fans will believe what they want to believe. My understanding is Phillips was disappointed when the Villa deal fell through... however it's been publicly managed since. He might be a Leeds boy and a fan, but it's a career. That's how players think generally... so: First choice, win the premier league and champions league with Leeds. Second choice win with/both with anyone. Third choice mid table premier league with Leeds.
... he's still only 22... we give him as long as the club thinks it takes... 1 year, 2 years, 3 years... maybe no years. He's got talent that's obvious to anyone who understands football - he's also failed to deliver on a consistent basis... that's equally obvious. I'm fine with whatever they decide on him
I understand football and IMO he's had enough years to improve at the club already, I'd like to see one of the younger lads given a chance. I a wait your far superior knowledge of football reply with baited breath.
Allegri has signed for Juventus as new manager which is thrown the spanner in the works at Real Madrid, because they were expecting Allegri there, but they took too long to offload Zidane. Conte probably going to Spurs although Spurs wanting Pochetino back, also Real Madrid now want Pochetino. Koeman unhappy with Barcelona President who said to the media we have a date to be married but if I find someone else I will marry them. Koeman may walk today. If he walks Xavi could be brought back to take over
I honestly don't know mate. I guess I am just soft. There's no easy way of saying this but some players are just a bit thick. It takes a little while for the penny to drop. Some players are good enough at 16 or 17 years old, others mature much older. I suppose one example would be Phillips. He only really started shining at 22 years old when Bielsa took charge. We could all see he could play a bit but I don't think many of us would have said he would be an England regular when he was 21. Tbh when I watch Roberts I usually think "the kids got a shed load of talent but is thick as pig ****". If the penny drops he could be a top player. He has all the attributes. Then again he could always be the way he is. Give him another year.
“I suppose one example would be Phillips. He only really started shining at 22 years old when Bielsa took charge. We could all see he could play a bit but I don't think many of us would have said he would be an England regular when he was 21.” Emu, yes Kalvin improved when Bielsa arrived, but you forget that Bielsa had watched every game Leeds played and knew everything about every player. He then said Phillips will now be a DM, so Bielsa changed his game immediately, but lets be frank here Roberts has had around 70 chances/games. So Bielsa will have said to Roberts, this is what I want, this is what I believe you can do, so please go do it...... up to now a few brief flashes and at this level we cannot afford failure and a few brief flashes is failure for me. But as I keep saying I am willing to go by Bielsa and what he wants
