Klich is apparently fuming with Marsch because he was promised game time to enable him to prove himself for the Polish World Cup squad. Marsch has only given him minutes off the bench. Deffo leaving the club now. Koch also not happy but this one is strange because he has been starting and in fact been one of our better players, so he can’t really blame Marsch. Rodrigo and Llorente find out today if Spain want them? A great talking point the club and fans should be having revolves around our older players, the players who played their part under Bielsa and never let the club or fans down. These players are now in their 30s and mainly bit part players now. I will assume that Forshaw will deffo be shown the door in January or next summer and I will also assume Dallas will get a reprieve due to his bad leg break. That is unless he feels he cannot ever get full fitness back and retires, but I hope he makes it back because he could still play a part as back up in a variety of positions, including LB. So what should we do with Klich who will be 33yo next summer. He is contracted to June 2024 and has a value of £2m. Klich was Bielsa’s go to player and broke records for consecutive games for Leeds and he averaged around 40 games per season. This season however he has played a subs role. Then we have Liam Cooper who will be 32 next summer and is contracted to June 2024 and a valuation of £5m. Under Bielsa he was averaging 35 games per season and even before that he was doing around 38 games per season in the Championship. However he is always going to pick up yellow cards and get bans. He is always liable to give a penalty away or worse. He is also picking up injuries and the last couple of seasons he has only featured in 25 games and 21 last season. Only 7 so far this season. Luke Ayling will be 32yo next summer and is contracted to next summer, should he be given another deal? Ayling has been a great servant but from averaging 40 games per season in the Championship his output is falling. Last season only 26 games and so far this season been involved in only 6 so far. He will always pick up yellows and bans, give away a penalty but he is now injured a lot. He also has a valuation right now of £2m but by next summer he can walk on a free. Has Drameh been told that he will replace Ayling next season and thats why he is still here? Why haven’t the club offered Luke a new deal? At the same time as doing what’s best for the club and cutting some players loose. The club have shown their loyalty over the last couple of seasons and we need a squad where all players are able to play a full part. It maybe harsh but needs doing. We also need to look at what players already at the club can replace them, as that would save substantial funds. If not we have to be able to spend to replace but it needs to happen if necessary. The Wolves cup game gave us an idea about things. Replacing Ayling with Drameh would be my option. A brilliant year in the championship and winning player of the year as well as young player of the year. He came back to the club and has done everything asked of him and indeed is streets ahead of any other defender in Prem2 Div2, he’s too good and and is getting rave reviews every game. We paid around £1m for the kid but will get 10 times that if we sell, simply because of his pedigree in the championship and first team football in the prem. Drameh is now an international U21 star too. to replace Ayling will cost around £15m if you look at Firpo’s price. So do we save ourselves £15m by using Drameh? Replacing Cooper is a bit more difficult, unless you believe Charlie Cresswell is the man. Cresswell is a born leader, a lion etc, but is he good enough? He is now a full U21 International but we also have another 21 International in Leo Hjelde who is a left side CB? On top of that should Struijk be the obvious replacement with the 2 U21s as back up? Yes that would be the cheaper option, but do we need better which will cost a great deal of cash. Can Koch and Struijk cut it at prem level? Do we need now to accept that maybe Llorente needs to be sold? Replacing Klich would also be expensive however if we first look at what we already have? Greenwood can also cover Roca and Adams as well as Klich. Gyabi can also cover those positions too, and so too can young Archie Gray and will he be more experienced next season . Lewis Bate will be back in the summer will he be able after a season in L1 with Oxford?. McKinstry is having a good season with Motherwell or should we just splash the cash, maybe £25m for another Aaronson type player? What should Leeds do about McKinstry. Out of contract in June so Motherwell, Stoke, Sheff Utd and Burnley are chasing him. Do we give him another deal and loan him out?
Good article Doc. I will muse over it on the flight home. Just one immediatw point to raise - doesn't Bill offer cover as a CB too? We're thin on the ground for CBs if Struijk continues to keep Firpo out of the team. I think that may come into the reckoning. One more year?
The other problem with that Neil is that we have Cresswell, Struijk, Hjelde, Firpo, Koch, Llorente, Cooper all CBs. Wonder how the troops are feeling now as we deffo know Rodrigo, Llorente not selected, Struijk should have gone with Belgium but opted for Holland and they are not taking him. Not many of our players going now and Marsch has told France U21 they are not having Meslier………
Gotcha, but, as ever, want to argue. LOL. Would you have Cresswell & Hjelde as our CB pairing next year? I wouldn't! Not even sure about the year after. You certainly wouldn't risk playing 2 youngsters together in the PL. I think / hope that Llorente's days are numbered. So that only leaves 2 candidates for me - Struijk & Koch. Cooper will be cover, at best next year. He'll lose the team captaincy & remain as club captain for a year & qualify for a testimonial. Cresswell +/or Hjelde will be broken in, if deemed good enough, but not both at the same time, surely? A lot of ifs & buts remain about the youngsters, hence why I think Bill will be kept on as cover with Coops. Might even get a whole season of availability between them, as they're both hitting the 'ageing injuries' phase of their careers. Then again, what tf do I know?
There is noway on God's green Earth that we would get a single penny for either Cooper, Klich or Ayling.
With the mistakes coming freely between the defenders this season (and last) I'm happy to sell Llorente, Koch, Firpo. Ayling and Cooper squad players next season. Struijk one starter at centre back and a new signing to come in. Send Cresswell and Hjelde out on loan. Get rid of Klich. Sell Harrison if Marsch is still here as he doesn't fit the system. Release Forshaw. See if we can sell Bamford. Buy a replacement and one for luck. Loan Gelhardt and Perkins out to get games.
Nothing wrong with the logic on either of these posts by the way Matt the valuations quoted are minimum valuations for this moment in time as done by transfermarkt.com and loads of over 30s sell for decent money by the way
Struijk is a good left sided CB and would be decent alongside Klich but right now Cresswell and Hjelde are not ready, so think we need a new CB, but that means bye bye Ayling and Llorente
Is the club brave enough to get rid of Ayling and use Cody Drameh? Well here are clubs that will…… Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund want to sign Leeds United talent Cody Drameh
These players can't even find themselves a club. What makes you think that another club is going to come along and buy our ageing has beens, especially when they are currently on 40k ish a week or thereabouts, and would have to offer similar wages.
Cant believe klich has another year left in the summer. Some really stupid contracts given by the club.
I just want to check I've got this right. Get rid of Ayling (possibly Drameh too as a makeweight), Koch, Llorente, Cooper, Firpo, Forshaw, Klich, Harrison and Bamford. I hope I didn't miss anyone. Then ask the transfer fairy for a few Citeh quality players for **** all because replacing 10 players has got to cost over £150m. Them tight ****s in San Francisco need to stick their hands in their pockets and stump up. Don't they realise we are a PL team ffs! Yes we avoided relegation by a *** paper last year and we've been flirting with it this year but you need to splash the cash. Look how well Florist are doing after spending a **** load. I want some of what you lot are smoking
Can see Klich wanting out in January, you can't blame him either he wants to play regular football he just isn't going to get here now. Llorente could be another who may stomp his feet and could well go back to Spain, but I think we would need replacements in first. The young lads on the fringe seriously need looking into because they are getting wasted and some decision needs to be made Joffy,Drameh need regular 90 min competitive football. I've said it from day one they are learning nowt in the reserves or sitting on a bench. They are at that age now to flee the nest and go out and prove week in week out that they are the real deal. cameo roles don't make you a first eleven Prem player. Gelhardt is at a standstill The club still don't trust him enough to start games and we are shyte frightened to let him go out on loan. Forshaw has to be given the golden handshake times up lad we can't carry passengers in the Prem. Then there is Bamford another one we are carrying and hoping he stays fit and hoping he finds form. We are already 13 games into a new season and again he has found neither of these. You can't pizz about in the Prem League and live off hope and maybes. there is too much quality about. If we don't sign a proven LB in Jan I shyte you not I'd be very pizzed off. The team needs tinkered this season in Jan and shifted of the unhappy ones of the younger lads some need to spread their wings and make a real name for themselves.
Klich has a lucrative 18 months left to run with Leeds. Unless he gets a 2 year plus contract offered he will stay. No way will he be better off going back to Poland.
True but he was defo looking for a way out at the start of the season for his world cup place maybe that could change his mind now he's missed out but I don't think he's a guy who wants to sit around. Time will tell, I guess.
“Leeds United chairman Andrea Radrizzani has been named as a new member of the UEFA Foundation for Children Board, after making a positive impact on the lives of children through the power of football,” said the club via their Twitter. The talk is he won’t be juggling both roles so as predicted by the Financial Times a full takeover is imminent
Great to see Niall Huggins getting his first start for the Sunderland first team this season, after being out for so long with a fractured spine.
