Good Morning. It's Tuesday 1st September, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Derby planning ram raid for Roberts The Times are reporting that Derby County are after Tyler Roberts. The Welsh International forward has scored seven goals in 51 league appearances (many of those as substitute) since he joined from West Brom in January 2018. Although obviously talented, Roberts has been plagued by injury since his arrival at Elland Road; but he is still only 21 years of age, and has time on his side to mature! Can Roberts make the step up to the Premiership? Are Leeds selling the right striker? He cost the Whites 2.5m, 18 months ago. How much would you expect today? Talking about departures, Leeds will not stand in Casilla's way if the former Real Madrid shot stopper wants to leave Elland Road. The 33yo lost his starting place when he serverdan eight batch suspension for allegedly using racial language towards Jonathan Leko. please log in to view this image Leeds face Stoke test Leeds travel to Clayton Wood today for a behind closed doors pre season friendly against Stoke City later today. Having faced four murderball sessions last week, Leeds are fit, and raring to go. The Whites will be without a number of international players with Kalvin Phillips, Stuart Dallas, Mateusz Klich, Liam Cooper, Gjanni Alioski, Rodrigo and Robin Koch. Stoke boss Michael O'Neill says he is relishing the test against Bielsa's outfit. "They’re very important friendlies and they’ll be tough," “We’ll play a tough Leeds side and they’ll certainly challenge you and then away at Newcastle. "Both Premier League teams so we’ll have to step up a good few gears from where we were against Blackpool. “But that’s the challenge that we want and to get the maximum out of our squad we have to be tested and challenged.” please log in to view this image Unconfirmed reports - De Paul deal done Unconfirmed Italian media sources report that Rodrigo De Paul has agreed personal terms with Leeds as his transfer from Udinese edges closer. If true, not only would this be a major coup for the West Yorkshire side due to the amount of admirers the 26yo has, but it would mean smashing their transfer record for the second time in a week! Dan Altman, founder of football analytics platform smarterscout, told The YEP: “There aren’t any central midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues who can match Rodrigo de Paul’s style of play and his pitch coverage. “He’s most active in the right channel, crossing midfield, but he can pop up almost anywhere. He’s an avid defender, and his attacking contribution is huge at a Premier League standard. “De Paul was involved in about two thirds of Udinese’s most effective attacks, and three-quarters of their goals while on the pitch. He’s Argentine and has enormous output on both sides of the ball, so he seems like a great fit for Bielsa’s Leeds.” please log in to view this image
Morning all. I would like to see us keep hold of Roberts. He is improving each season and at 21 has a big future in front of him.
Good morning, I wouldn't be too bothered to see Roberts go. I would probably prefer a loan move for now because there looks to be a player in there somewhere and he's only 21 but we can't hold onto everyone and if he wants regular first team football it might be time to let him go. As a 21 year old British international we shouldn't let him go for peanuts, especially to Derby. If we let Kiko go I hope we sign another experienced keeper. I'm not expecting too much but we don't want to put all our eggs in one basket with Meslier. De Paul would be an incredible signing if it comes off.
Morning great leader..... And Elland. I think it's a fact we cannot keep all of last seasons squad. Bielsa has given his shopping list and the club are trying to get them. He has always stated two players max for each position. So there has to be a small clearout maybe some loans to hudders. Too big a squad will not suit Bielsa and he will choose his squad after the friendlies i am sure. Roberts is a luxury we can't afford to pay for doing nothing. So shape up or ship out is my mantra time for orta to get ruthless and save some wages.
Good Morning to Matt and co from a sunny Bardsey Well it looks like we will sign DE PAUL which now leaves us to decide about a keeper and another CB /LB Re Tyler Roberts just never been fit enough to get a run in the team perhaps its time for a change I wish him well
Roberts had an issue where he had an operation which ended up infected - hardly his fault! Think Cazorla at Arsenal, he missed two years with a similar sort of issue. Roberts is unfairly labelled injury-prone based on this. I’d be surprised if Bielsa sanctioned his departure, he likes Roberts a lot and his versatility makes him a very useful option in a smaller squad - he can play up front, number 10, deeper in a midfield 3 or out wide. Pablo isn’t getting any younger, Bamford and Rodrigo don’t give us huge depth up front, and out wide we’re comfortable but hardly inundated with options. If De Paul/Kent (or equivalents) both join, then there may be more of an argument for him to leave, but if we only get one, as I’d expect, I’d be very surprised to see Roberts let go.
Kiwi up front yes we have Rodrigo and Bamford but behind those we have young Gelhart and Greenwood. Yes only 18yo both but both tipped for good things and there are players in the top 6 clubs who are also 17/18yo. Roberts is now not that young anymore and yes hes lost time through injury but he has only shone in minutes not in back to back games. Would love anyone to tell me he even had one good game for the U23s because he wasnt that good whereas Bamford was off the scale when he played and Bamford scored goals too and Roberts didnt. Sorry but its all about opinions and for me we havent had our moneys worth from Tyler Kiko, Alioski, Forshaw, Roberts & Douglas ?.?
Good morning everyone Am i the only one, that wouldn't want Alioski to go, think he would do well as an impact sub, as adds energy & urgency to the side if it was needed.So i for one would be most disappointed if he was sold/shiped out.
Transfer market values are usually understated but Kiko £1.8m Alioski £3.5m Douglas £1.8m Roberts £1.9m total £10m will come in handy to get the odd deal over the line
Agree with most of the above,but not Alioski. 1.8m for kiko ? we will be lucky!!!! also his big wages will be a sticking point, sadly he's gonna be a player that could be hard to shift.
Think Roberts is talented unfortunately he's made of biscuits, de Paul looks extremely talented he will do for me if it comes off.
We can't retain all last seasons squad. Bielsa has always insisted on two players maximum for each position so it's inevitable there'll be a small clear out to accommodate any new signings we make between now & the deadline of the transfer window 5th October. It wouldn't concern me if we moved on : Casilla who is on a very high salary Douglas, not set the world alight in the championship Forshaw, likely to pick up another long term injury Roberts, hasn't done enough for me at championship level so would be a big ask for him in the premiership, also Tyler sitting on the bench playing 3rd fiddle to Rodrigo & Bamford & the same scenario if we sign De Paul & any other attacking midfielders would be a luxury
Be interesting to see who plays in goal today because Meslier is away with France U21. Lets hope Kiko not at Stoke as it will mean hes gone Bamford should play part of today and maybe Pablo, Harrison and Costa but we should see a lot of Forshaw, Poveda and Struijk, Gotts and hopefully Greenwood, Drahma, Geldart but Roberts, Dallas, Cooper, Alioski, Klich away on International duty
They’ve been trying to offload kiko for a year. I’d suspect we’d have to do a Robbie Fowler and subsidise his wages to ship him off to Spain.
Yes just you... (Ell doesn’t count) I think he did well as a sub on a number of occasions last year. Can’t see him terrifying anyone off the bench at prem level... and think the lack of pace would be shown up at both ends of the pitch. I’m fine with him as a squad player but mb likes a small squad...
we picked him up for free but could do a deal with him and allow him to leave on a free which makes it easier for him to find a club and will save Leeds £2m per year in wages?
