Good Morning. It's Wednesday 29th May, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Bundesliga giants to make move for Archie Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are lining up a bid to tempt rising star Archie Gray away from Elland Road, according to multiple reports in the press this morning. The Bavarians face stiff competition from Liverpool (and others), which inevitably could start a bidding war this Summer. Even though he is contracted to June 2028, Leeds are believed to be putting together an improved deal, to keep poachers away from their star asset. In his breakthrough season, Archie racked up over 4500 minutes of game time, becoming an integral part of Daniel Farke's line-ups. He almost became the youngest ever Leeds player ever to score (at home against Leicester), only for the officials to put it down as an own goal. Fittingly, the record still stands with his Uncle Eddie! please log in to view this image Sentiment must go out the window as rebuilding starts Whilst Archie enjoyed considerable success for the Whites last season, money talks, and Leeds need to raise capital to build a side capable of automatic promotion next season. Mounting debts, and failure to secure promotion back to the top flight has cost Leeds dear. They'll hope to raise the best part of £100m by selling Summerville £25m, Rutter £25m, Harrison £18m, Gnonto £15m, Roca £5m and Wober £10m, but that could still leave them short as Daniel Farke looks to build a team capable of instant success. Sentiment out of the window, Archie offered very little that actually influenced results, providing just two assists all season. On the odd accession he played in his more familiar midfield role, he proved very capable, without actually standing out in the same way Ampadu or Rodon have done. Fans and pundits have become obsessed with his age and potential, rather than his contributions on the pitch. Whilst he is improving all the time, Leeds need players that can influence results now. If they could raise over £40m by selling him, and use that money wisely, they could bring in four or five players that would seriously improve the squad. please log in to view this image We have what we need to be competitive In his first interview since missing out on promotion, Elland Road Chairman Paraag Marathe has told Leeds fans that he is happy to live at the limits of profits and sustainability, and has backed Daniel Farke wholeheartedly to get the Whites back to the top flight. Leeds owe £190m in outstanding transfer payments, most of which 49ers Enterprises inherited from the previous regime. This does not take into consideration the sales of Tyler Roberts and Luis Sinisterra. Marathe wouldn't comment on Archie Gray, but admitted the need to sell players because of P&S. “You've seen a lot of the numbers, but I'll tell you two things. The first is it was the outbound transfer payments we have to make. They were already contemplated as we went about going through the transaction last summer. “We were looking at that and that, actually, was sort of reflected in the acquisition and some of those things. We inherited a credit card bill we knew we had to take care of. We made sure we had the investment we needed upfront from an ownership standpoint and capital commitment to make sure we were covered on that and be able to manage through that properly. "The second thing I'll add is, what is not in those numbers that were reported was some of the inbound payments we also have. Our two January sales in Tyler Adams and Luis Sinisterra, there's some inbound transfer payments coming from that. The net is already a little bit lower than what was reported, but, again, we have what we need to be competitive. “We'll shape the squad accordingly and, yes, we need to have some outbound because of P&S (profit and sustainability). Will we also have some inbounds? Absolutely. We have what we need to compete among the best." please log in to view this image
It will be a field day for the click bait sites over the coming weeks, Gray, Summerville, Gnonto, Rutter, Ampadu and possibly a few more going here there and everywhere. I think the club will do all it can to keep Gray unless we are offered silly money. We can't sell them all but I think 3 will go, Summerville and Gnonto, certainly and who knows who else, I think if we can recoup the Piroe money, it could be him, just doesn't seem to fit in with Farke's style, the squad was short in numbers at times as it was, so we can't let too many go, without at least the same number of replacements, I expect a full quota of loans incoming next season too. The grapevine whisper is Red Bull are offering us a substantial amount to sponsor us, no buying into the club, just a sponsorship deal. Another rumour is the second strip next season is going to be the traditional yellow with the smilie badge on it.
Morning all We had star players who never played as a team. I don’t really mind who goes (apart from Ampadu and James), each of those stars had a weakness. Kamara and Gruev were solid for the most part, let’s just get business done as quickly as possible and get team players in who want to be part of something special
Marthe did make a comment yesterday that they're at least 5 weeks better off than they were last season, in preparation to get things sorted and they plan to use that and get things rolling straight away. He intimated that we have been scouting for both scenario's of going up or staying in the C'ship, so hopefully we will see some early movements both ways
Maybe its time to start a prediction competition on who leaves and for what [publicly disclosed] price? Like the match predictor. Each player would be like a 'week' in the match predictor.
Going to need the click bait sites to keep the debates going during the summer. Poor Ell has his work cut out now
Morning all We need to keep Gray at all costs along with Joseph however there are clubs already circling around both of them. If it was up to me then I'd price Gray out of the market to scare the 'Big Boys' off him. There's no point to sentiment. Look were it's got us in the past. Keeping hold of Cooper, Bamford and Ayling when it's clear that they're past their best, Apart from the 2 mentioned above every member of that squad is expendable/ Let them go. Yes there are players that I'd like to see but we can get rid and find replacements. I'm an honest believer of scouting the lower leagues for talent as well as the so-called farmers leagues. We're in the championship for a 2nd season now is not the time to be looking down our nose at places like Mexico or France, Paarg is a silver tonged devil. I read that statement he made yesterday and all i thought was what a total pile of Horse ****, Regarding the idea that we need to be more competitive, Well no **** Mr Holmes. 90 points and we're stuck in this division for another year at least. You can harp on about how last season was a strange one and we could have done it in any other year but the fact remains that we're still in the champs. I'm gonna say this one final point the 49ers are still going to have to make a profit for the likes of Ron Burgandy.
Prices are what I think we realistically get and players I think should go All teams should have 2 decent players for all positions. GK Meslier - £10-12m use £5 m for a McCarthy/Cooper type keeper. Darlow will stay but I think we should get him off the wage bill and promote Klaesson RB Gray keep New RCB Try to get Rodon Cresswell keep as back up but think he'll want gone. LCB Struijk keep but as back up Get new LB Firpo, dilemma great going forward but can't defend, would work better in a back 5 but Farke doesn't play that so move on £5m Get new Byram keep as back up. CM Ampadu keep Gruev keep Kamara £5m We need 2 more, one's that aren't scared to have a shot at goal. RW James keep Gnonto £10-12m get rid, doesn't want to be here Get new LW Summerville £25-30m Get new. Strikers Piroe £12m doesn't fit in the system. Rutter £20m had his moments but him constantly losing the ball putting us under pressure became really annoying. Bamford- Needs to go but who'll take him. Joseph keep Get 2 more Probably time the likes of Gelhardt, Shackleton moved on, they're obviously not in Farke's plans.
Farke; he's a dilemma too, 90 points most other seasons would have been good enough, a better start and finish to the season and it could have been so much better, can't blame him for the start but certainly can for the finish, playing players out of form or carrying knocks, mentally not at it and he never utilised his squad, not giving Joseph a shot was poor imo. Does he deserve a chance with a full pre season to get in players he wants, possibly yes but it's the repetitive football that gets you down, easy to counter and lots did and he didn't have the answers to switch things, at times it was school team stuff, get it to the best player and hope it works, too much play down our left. Personally I think he's tactically inept yet it worked for a while but as soon as he was worked out, he just didn't have a clue how to react
Again my ask is a name to replace him, whenever I do it’s like tumbleweed on here. Only OLOF came up with a suggestion, all be it I’d never heard of him.
The thing is , it's not my job to do that, it's what the clubs employ people to do. I'm only commenting on what I see and think about our current manager. It's been confirmed he'll be here next season , so we'll have to wait and see how it pans out, hopefully he'll get us playing more as a unit, rather than relying on individuals to get us the results we need.
Good afternoon everyone I am happy with Farke for at least onother season, but just for answering the above, what about Graham Potter, been impressive with his appointments, up until Chelsea, for which for some reason or another most managers/coaches struggle their, also knows the English game inside out. Think he would come to us as well, as would relish the challenge as with Brighton, also out of work atm (i think) ?
I think there's a few clubs interested in him, the latest being Leicester, he'd probably be a good fit there but the points deduction may make him think twice.
Read that he was the first choice and was approached but wasn’t interested in dropping down to the championship.
I know it’s not your job but if you want the manager replaced I’d be interested who you think we should bring in.
I did say it was a dilemma and should be given a crack at it with a full pre season but I have my reservations about him . Looking around whats out there in the UK, then Potter is definitely top of the pile, but I'm not sure he'd drop down to the Championship. I thought Rosenior did a good job at Hull with what was available to him, if they had a proper striker I think they'd have got 5th. Other than that we'd probably need to look abroad.
