The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Friday 27th May)

Good Morning. It's Friday 27th May, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road

Raphinha to stay until after the World Cup

Manchester Evening News journalist Conor McGilligan believes Leeds should play hard ball with Barcelona over Raphinha this Summer. The Catalan giants have not hidden their desire to try and steal him away from Elland Road, and have conspired with Deco (Raphinha's agent) to try and force the move.

Media sources have suggested that Leeds have already turned down their first bid of €55m (£46.8m), but McGilligan believes that following the jubilant scenes at Brentford last weekend, the Brazilian ace would be happy to stay at Elland Road until next January, after the World Cup.

Speaking on the One Leeds Fan Channel on YouTube, he said: “You look at the current market right now, £40m is nothing and we should not be buckling for Barcelona because Barcelona cannot afford." “I get the feeling with Raphinha that he’d be ok to play until January, and then maybe Barcelona can stump the funds up. But Leeds need to be in a position where we’re strong next season. We don’t want to be mucked around by Barcelona for this entire window.

“I understand that the club will be selling him, but we do hold all the cards to maximise this guy’s value. We should not be lowering this guy’s value to anything below £70m, in my opinion – £65m to a stretch, and I’d be disappointed with £65m.”

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Aaronson pens five year deal

Brenden Aaronson put pen to paper yesterday, as Leeds unveiled their first (in a long line) of Summer signings. The 21yo USA International signed a five-year deal, running until the summer of 2027
Although the transfer will not be officially completed until July 1, Aaronson was keen to get the deal completed before jetting off on International duty.

Aaronson, dubbed the Medway Messi prefers to play as an attacking midfielder, a void that Leeds have found difficult to fill in recent times. Will his arrival spell the end for Mateuz Klich?

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Cresswell and Hjelde to be sent out on loan next season

Graham Symth has suggested that Leo Hjelde and Charlie Cresswell may need to be sent out on loan next season in their quest for first team football. The Chief Football Writer for the Yorkshire Evening Post admitted that whilst the young duo could have big futures in front of them, their experience in the top flight is lacking (297 minutes between them).

Symth boasts that 'Centre-backs are the one and only thing that Jesse Marsch and Victor Orta need not worry about', yet the statistics tell a different story! Leeds conceded 79 goals last season; only Norwich (84), conceded more. Furthermore, Meslier was the busiest keeper in the Top Flight, making an average of 3.8 saves per game. If that doesn't set the alarm bells ringing, I don't know what will!

Cresswell is not only dominant in the air, a quality sadly lacking in the entire Leeds squad, but his communication on the pitch, and reading of the game is exemplary. Surely he needs to be a regular in the first team next season!

According to Smyth:- "Centre-backs, if you’re asking, are probably the one and only thing that Jesse Marsch and Victor Orta need not worry about, with Liam Cooper, Robin Koch, Pascal Struijk, Charlie Cresswell, Diego Llorente and Leo Hjelde all on board."

"Cooper again proved his importance to Leeds in the crucial final weeks of the season and, as club captain, is going nowhere. Koch will likely hanker after a return to his most natural position, after doing a job in midfield and at right-back, and deserves a run of games there."

"Struijk didn’t have the best season - who at Leeds did? - but, at 22, retains enormous potential. Both Cresswell and Hjelde are prospects who could have big futures, if they get game time, either with Leeds - which is difficult to see at present without someone moving aside - or on loan."

"As for Llorente, this week’s call up for Spain suggests he is still a valuable asset but, at 28, that value is going to diminish quickly. Of all the centre-backs at the club, he would appear the likeliest candidate for a move."

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Morning all

Raph saga needs to be done and dusted as soon as possible. We can't go in to deadline with a will he won't he over our heads. Then he goes with out a replacement or were scrambling round looking round for a quick fix making the numbers up.

Sending the kids out on loan seems logical now we know we're safe. They need first team experience but tbh I wouldn't be surprised if we let Poveda go back out this season as well as we're being linked with so many wingers and Costa really doesn't have a future with us anymore

 

Raphinha may end up staying but forget all the hype, he may want to see that we are doing what we said we would, and build a team who can challenge in a season or 2. The project is still possible and Aaronson is a great start. World Cup is crucial to Rapha so needs to be playing and delivering. Barcelona have no cash but already taking in 4 top players on a free plus Lewandowski from Bayern. If Dembele refuses to leave there is no place for Rapha, so forget them and see what happens

 

Will Drameh be in for a RB understudy role
Will Davies be in for a LB understudy role
Will Poveda be around or loaned out
What about Bogutsz, Costa and Kiko

Sounds like Aaronson has been told Bate is in the first team squad

Klich, Roberts, Shackelton?

 

Good morning.

Wishful thinking on Raphinha IMO, but everyone knows the world cup is a good time to put yourself in the shop window and get an improved deal. Not sure what a mid season world cup does to that though.

I'm glad to see we're using the loan system to give our best youngsters.game time. In hindsight Drameh was right to force his move to Cardiff and will be more prepared if he's called upon this season. Assuming adequate cover this is what i'd do with our promising youngsters.

Loan Out

• Hjelde
• Summerville
• Bate

Keep

• Gelhardt
• Greenwood
• Drameh

I'm 50/50 on Cresswell. I think he's a great player and I have no issue with him slotting in at the back if we need him, but we have a number of mediocre CB's with no real established pecking order so it's difficult to see where he is, especially if we strengthen there.

 

I think Bournemouth have an option to buy Davis.

I read somewhere that Leeds were going to buy Casilla's contract out.

 

The RB position seems to be a grey area. We're meant to be in for Dest and Ramsey so it puts question marks over Ayling and Drameh

Davis is another Grey place as we're meant to be in for Kai Wagner at Philadelphia Union however that could have changed as we didn't get relegated. I wouldn't be surprised if Davis goes out on loan or we sell him.

Poveda has shined at Blackburn this last season when he's not been injured. Again I wouldn't be surprised if he goes to a team like Boro or Huddersfield.

Costa will be sold in the summer I've got no doubt about that, I think Valencia wants him Permanently but can't afford the fee however I reckon we'll negotiate a fee for him. Kiko's contract is up this summer so bye-bye. Bogutsz got an ACL injury back in Jan. From what I remember that's what killed off Somma's career.

Shackleton I think has been told he's not in Marsch's plans. If this young Croatian lad comes in I can imagine Roberts will go but who will take him after this season. Klich I reckon will be gone in the next 12 months but I reckon they'll need to bring someone in first

 

Bournemouth have said they're not interested the other day I think

 

I'm not sure about that. I've seen a lot of the Valencia supporters groups on twitter celebrating the end of his loan spell, they wouldn't touch him on a free.

 

Unfortunately Coco’s contract doesn’t end till July 2023


Leeds United

On 17 January 2019, the 32-year-old Casilla moved abroad for the first time in his career and signed a four-and-a-half-year contract at Leeds United

 

I swear down it said he was in the final year of his contact when we loaned him back out to Spain

 

Even if that's the case. The fact we're going for Lang (replacement for Raph) and Minaimino would seriously limit his chances of a first team start. I'm guessing Marsch has kept an eye on the situation and the board will find a way of selling him

 

Tried to look but I can't find his contact online. If he is on a 4 year contract then He'll be sold or released

 

Good afternoon,

I would sell Llorente and loan out Hjelde. I like Llorente but in a position we have plenty of options for he is the one I would let go.

Cooper has proven this season how important he is.

Koch just looks class to me and a run at cb will onlyee improve him.

Struijk will be looking to nail down his first choice spot next season.

Cresswell is the best of the two youngsters.


I can see Cooper playing more of a back up role as a playerwhile still being captain.


With Ayling potentially being a back up player as well I think the naming of a vice captain who plays week in week out is very important.

 

Bournemouth have decided not to buy Leif

 

slightly off topic but Villa are going for Suarez. Could be interesting to see who leaves.

 

Took us about ten years to finish paying Fowlers wages now we've to face paying this duck for gods knows how long

 

Re Rapha. If Barca haven't the cash now, do it in stage payments. 30m up front and four annual payments of 15m a year. Would be fairest for everyone. Stick in some healthy sell on bonuses and appearance bonuses for club and country as well

 

Is it true Pablo is coming home as assistant coach?
I'm in Londonistan for the challenge Cup final and am hearing rumours

 

Hang on a minute...

In all the excitement I've completely forgotten to celebrate something.



Derby County were relegated