The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 28th June)

Good Morning. It's Tuesday 28th June, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road


Sander Berge move gathering pace

With Kalvin Phillips not expected back from holiday until Thursday, it seems unlikely that he will undergo his Manchester City medical until the end of the week at the earliest. This of course will have a knock on effect on a replacement; not that this poses a problem, as Leeds still have a short list of three to pick from. Whilst speculation over Tyler Adam, and more recently Mohamed Camara has been rife, few have paid much attention to a player 36 miles away in South Yorkshire, which seems to be gathering pace.

Sander Berge joined Sheffield Utd from Belgium outfit Genk during the January 2020 transfer window for £22m. He is 24yo, stands 6ft 5 inches, 15 stone, and 30 International Caps for Norway. He is a box to box midfielder, and according to Leeds journalist Pete O'Rourke is more mobile than Kalvin Phillips. He netted six times, and created four assists last season in the Championship last season. Unfortunately for Leeds, the Blades have slapped a £35m release clause on the big Viking, only £7m less than Phillips. Whatever the outcome, nothing is expected to happen until next week now.

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Leipzig unlikely to deal with Leeds until JKA fiasco sorted out

German Media outlet Kicker have disclosed that RB Leipzig are unlikely to do business with Leeds Utd until the Jean-Kevin Augustin fiasco is sorted out. This will have a detrimental effect on their pursuit of USA Midfielder Tyler Adams, the cheapest option (€20m) of the three midfielders Leeds currently have on their short list.

If this move is blocked, there is a good chance that Victor Orta could raid RB Leipzig's sister club RB Saltzburg for a third time this Summer for Mohamed Camara, the Austrian side’s midfield lynchpin, but this will not be cheap. The 22yo Malian International would set Leeds back an estimated £35m, the same as Sander Berge.

According to Kicker "The case (with JKA) has been with the International Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS for more than three months, and the verdict is still a long time coming. It is not to be expected that RB Leipzig will transfer a player to Leeds United during this legal dispute - especially not if there are alternatives. Leipzig's transfer fee is said to be 20 million euros."

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Leeds eye Foster capture

Veteran shot-stopper Ben Foster could be on his way to Elland Road this Summer, according to the Daily Mail's Simon Jones. The 39yo bid farewell to his teammates at Vicarage Road at the end of last season, in search of a last and final payday before hanging up his gloves. Miraculously, this would be his 22nd season as a Professional footballer. In 380 top flight appearances (over his career), he kept 92 clean sheets.

It is hoped that Foster's experience and knowledge would also rub off on Meslier, and help the young Frenchman take his game to the next level. Should Foster make the move to West Yorkshire, it would spell the end for Kiko Casilla, who still has twelve months left on his contract.

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Auf Wiedersehen Shackleton

Leeds Utd midfielder Jamie Shackleton could be surplus to requirements at Elland Road next season. The versatile 22yo has been part of the fixtures and fittings at Elland Road since he was seven, and worked his way up the Academy before signing his first professional contract in 2018. Since then, he has made 68 appearances for the Whites, but has always failed to make a position his own on a long term basis.

Although he can play in a variety of roles, the arrivals of Brenden Aaronson, Marc Roca and Rasmus Kristensen, will surely restrict Shackleton's opportunities even more. He has one year left on his contract. Graham Smyth, the Chief Football writer for the Yorkshire Evening Post, believes it would benefit both club and player if he was sent out on loan:-

“Shackleton has put side before self but could now plot a course that benefits him without hurting his club."
“Unless a permanent move presents itself, one that would guarantee game time and sufficiently compensate Leeds financially, a Championship loan would look ideal.

“Shackleton will return to pre-season flying – he’s always among the leaders in the running tests and is already working on his fitness during the break – but he needs to put that conditioning to better and more regular use next season.”

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Morning all

I'll reserve judgement on Berge if/until the move is done and he's played some games for us.

This whole Adams thing has been floating around for a few days now. It's a chink in the transfer plans as Adams is meant to be number 1 on the list but we're also sniffing round Mo Camera.

Tbh I wouldn't be surprised if we become Foster's choice of destination now that Arsenal have snapped that American Keeper from New England Revolution.

Supposedly Costa didn't show up to the start of Pre-Season

 

Morning all.

Just on a point of order Shackleton has 2 years left on his contract (30th June 2024).

Oh and I have it on reasonably good authority that he's on 48K per week

 

48K a week ffs. are you sure its not 48K a year. It should be

 

Sander Berge is a beast. I'd love him to come. The downside is he has struggled with injuries but last season played 31 games so maybe he can kick on.

He's big, strong, quick, good footwork and can pick a pass. Has a thunderous shot too. I think he would add a lot of physicality to our midfield. 35 million is expensive though. If we could get him for 20 million it would be a good deal.


The added bonus with Ben Foster is that he has his own YouTube channel where he films behind the scenes footage of the players and staff in and around his typical day's training. He would help Meslier immensely.

Shack needs to go out on loan.

 

Sander Berge...

 

Really don’t see the point of the Foster signing unless we’re saying our young no. 2 isn’t good enough. As for helping Meslier, isn’t that what the goalkeeping coach is paid to do? A wage better spent elsewhere for me.

 

My problem with everyone in the media saying we will replace Raphinha with another winger makes no sense. Why did we spend £25m+ on Dan James? Is James just wrong for Leeds or are we selling him or selling Harrison. It could be the players we are looking at as replacing Rapha are actually wingers/AMs

 

We have far too many wingers. If Rapha goes I don't think we need to replace him.

We have Harrison and James backed up by Summerville with the option of playing Rodrigo, Aaronson playing that inverted role. Far better to get a striker and a left back.

 

We’ll go for a hybrid that can play AM/wing as the replacement due to James, Harrison and Summerville. I think Harrison will be LB/LWB.

 

Morning everyone we don't need wingers. As for signing a striker i can't see it happening. Bamford and gelherdt and stand in rodrigo i think are our 3.A big hairy arrrsed mid would suit me fine. Aaronson can play wide if needed. Costa i hope is gone and poveda and shakleton. Saw roberts at training and thought why?. He is not even championship standard. What about Greenwood will he get a number or go on loan.
Lots of players should be leaving if we are to improve. We can do better than kalvin phillips and berg may be the one. Just because a club sets a price does not mean we would pay that.

 

International duty - Angola

 

I like berge the injury was a season long one so has at least out a decent run of games together at the blunts. They actually started playing him further forward. Word is they won’t be holding out for the release clause. He wants out.

 

Hopefully we can get it done around the 20-25 million mark. Good player approaching his prime.

 

No, absolutely wrong about his wages. Multiple sources say he on about 80k a year.

 

Er yes, that's what we are saying.

 

So is he going?

 

As always when it comes to numbers I always look into what people present.

Whilst I also think it unlikely that JS is going to be on 48k per week, and have found various sources that says he is on 1.5k per week, those same sources also say that KP is on 4.5k per week.

Spoiler: https://www.spotrac.com/epl/leeds-united-fc/payroll/

ANNUAL SALARY WEEKLY SALARY
Raphael Belloli F 25 £3,302,000 £63,500
Rodrigo Machado F 31 £3,000,000 £57,692
Robin Koch D 25 £2,400,000 £46,154
Patrick Bamford F 28 £1,820,000 £35,000
Helder Costa F 28 £1,690,000 £32,500
Kiko Casilla GK 35 £1,670,000 £32,115
Diego Llorente D 28 £1,144,000 £22,000
Illan Meslier GK 22 £1,144,000 £22,000
Joe Gelhardt F 20 £858,000 £16,500
Jack Harrison F 25 £780,000 £15,000
Ian Poveda M 22 £457,600 £8,800
Luke Ayling D 0 £416,000 £8,000
Stuart Dallas M 0 £416,000 £8,000
Mateusz Klich M 32 £403,000 £7,750
Liam Cooper D 30 £338,000 £6,500
Kalvin Phillips M 26 £234,000 £4,500
Tyler Roberts M 23 £182,000 £3,500
Jamie Shackleton M 22 £78,000 £1,500
Leif Davis D 22 £31,000 £596

Where as https://salarysport.com/football/player/jamie-shackleton/ suggests JS is on 17k per week, which seems a more likely figure.

Spoiler: 2022 LeedsSalaries

Player NameWeekly WageYearly SalaryAgePositionNationality
Rodrigo£100,000£5,200,00030AM RLC, F CSpain
Patrick Bamford£74,000£3,848,00027AM/F CEngland
Raphinha£63,000£3,276,00024AM RLBrazil
Jack Harrison£60,000£3,120,00024AM RLEngland
Diego Llorente£57,000£2,964,00027D CSpain
Júnior Firpo£55,000£2,860,00024D/WB LSpain
Stuart Dallas£53,000£2,756,00030D RL, AM RLCN.Ireland
Daniel James£52,000£2,704,00023AM RLWales
Illan Meslier£41,000£2,132,00021GKFrance
Robin Koch£38,000£1,976,00024D C, DMGermany
Kalvin Phillips£38,000£1,976,00025DMEngland
Liam Cooper£35,000£1,820,00029D CScotland
Luke Ayling£35,000£1,820,00029D RCEngland
Mateusz Klich£34,000£1,768,00031AM CPoland
Pascal Struijk£29,000£1,508,00021D C, DMHolland
Adam Forshaw£28,000£1,456,00029DMEngland
Tyler Roberts£22,000£1,144,00022AM RLC, F CWales
Jamie Shackleton£17,000£884,00021D R, M CEngland
Kristoffer Klaesson£15,000£780,00020GKNorway
Crysencio Summerville£8,400£436,80020AM RLHolland
Charlie Cresswell£5,400£280,80018D CEngland
Joe Gelhardt£5,100£265,20019AM/F CEngland
Cody Drameh£4,400£228,80019D/WB RLEngland
Nohan Kenneh£3,900£202,80018D C, DMEngland
Lewis Bate£3,000£156,00018DMEngland
Sam Greenwood£2,600£135,20019AM RLC, F CEngland
Amari Miller£2,500£130,00018AM R, STEngland
Dani van den Heuvel£2,400£124,80018GKHolland
Jack Jenkins£2,100£109,20019DMEngland
Liam McCarron£2,000£104,00020AM RLEngland

However have also found the following on https://www.totalsportal.com/money/contacts/leeds-united-players-salaries/ which puts JS on approx £31k per week, which is more than Ayling, Dallas, Klich, and the same as Bamford, so I would say these figures are suspect

Spoiler: 2021/22 Salaries

Player Base Salary Weekly Wage Position Contract
Illan Meslier £2.6 million £55,000 GK 2026
Kristoffer Klaesson £750,000 £15,000 GK 2025
Diego Llorente £3 million £75,000 DEF 2024
Robin Koch £2.4 Million £50,000 DEF 2024
Pascal Struijk £1.2 million £25,000 DEF 2024
Liam Cooper £1 million £20,000 DEF 2024
Charlie Cresswell £500,000 £10,000 DEF 2025
Junior Firpo £2.5 million £51,500 DEF 2025
Liam McCarron £500,000 £10,000 DEF 2022
Luke Ayling £1 million £20,000 DEF 2023
Stuart Dallas £1 million £20,000 DEF 2024
Cody Drameh £2.5 million £10,000 DEF 2024
Kalvin Phillips £5.75 million £120,000 MID 2024
Mateusz Klich £1 million £20,000 MID 2024
Jamie Shackleton £1.5 million £31,250 MID 2022
Adam Forshaw £1 million £10,000 MID 2026
Daniel James £3.5 Million £73,000 MID 2024
Jack Harrison £3 million £62,500 MID 2024
Raphinha £6.25 million £130,000 MID 2024
Crysencio Summerville £500,000 £10,000 MID 2024
Patrick Bamford £1.5 million £31,250 FW 2026
Joe Gelhardt £1 million £20,000 FW 2023
Sam Greenwood £500,000 £10,000 FW 2024
Rodrigo £3 million £62,500 FW 2024
Tyler Roberts £2.16 million £45,000 FW 2024

 

My take.

1. We have two very young keepers. Why? Well because we like to buy young and hope they increase in value. Downside is Klassen (who did well in his cameo with wolves) is very high risk to go into a PL season with as your only back up if Meslier gets injured.
2. I like Meslier (genuinely) but he's still a kid and statistically (xg against) the was one of the worst keepers in the league last season.. that's just about stopping goals and is irrespective of distrivution which many think is not a strength of his. Now there are all sorts of potential reasons for why his stats aren't great, certainly not all down to him. This isn't a meslier bashing.

The idea of an experienced keeper is someone who can still do a reliable job if called into action and can give advice and support to the other keepers. Take your point, yes that is the job of a coach, but keepers tend to train largely as a tight knit unit... and what i've heard from a young professional keeper, is that having an experienced old pro around is really valuable.

 

What we need is someone on here who is an expert at analysing goalkeepers, do we have any ?