Here are your Leeds United morning headlines for Sunday, July 10.
Phillips deal ‘cheap’
Former Chelsea and Aston Villa man Tony Cascarino has questioned Leeds’ negotiating power after selling Kalvin Phillips for £42million. The midfielder joined Manchester City on Monday, putting pen to paper on a six-year deal.
Leeds reportedly received larger offers - David Moyes admitted they ‘bid more’ in January - but were to sell only to the Premier League champions as per Phillips’ request. But Cascarino labelled the sale ‘quite cheap’ and pointed to West Ham’s stance on Declan Rice as a comparison between the two.
“I thought it was quite cheap.” Cascarino told TalkSPORT . “Now, he’s had an injury-plagued season. If you go back to last summer, I think someone would have, quite openly, paid £60m plus for him but he’s been injured for most of the season.
READ MORE: Leeds United transfer news LIVE: Whites reveal squad for Australia with no sign of Raphinha
“But they’re getting a really quality [player], you can trust Kalvin Phillips to do a great job for you and I think that’s the big thing. If you were to say Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips, who played in the England midfield last summer in the Euros and did brilliantly. One club, West Ham, is talking £150m and he’s just gone for £42m.
“I do think there is a bit more in Declan Rice. I think he’s a player who can play in more than one position and is a little bit quicker than Kalvin Phillips, but there is not a great deal between them – do I think there is over £100m of difference between them? No I don’t.”
Seven with point to prove in Aus
Jesse Marsch and his 26-man squad set off for Australia yesterday for their pre-season tour, with games against Brisbane Roar, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace. Attention was understandably on the one name missing from the squad, with Raphinha asking not to travel as he looks to accelerate his departure.
All six of this summer’s new signings were present on the plane, but the tour is more than just a parade of shiny new signings. There are a few within that squad with a serious point to prove ahead of the new campaign, from young talents returning from loans to fringe players who need to make an impact.
The likes of Leif Davis, Dan James and Rodrigo all have a serious point to prove within those three games if they are to be prominent figures in Jesse Marsch’s plans.
Goal gives insight into Marsch tactical work
Few could have expected Marsch to implement his playing style as soon as he arrived at Leeds last season, with his 12 games in charge described as a ‘sticking plaster’ to keep the club in the Premier League. But a full pre-season and a raft of new signings - some of which played under the Whites boss previously - fans will be keen to see a clear brand of football and tactical style.
That style - aggressive pressing and direct, vertical passing - was evident in Thursday’s 4-0 win against Blackpool, with Marc Roca regularly firing balls into Joe Gelhardt or Sam Greenwood. And it was most evident in the Whites’ fourth goal with Jeremiah Mullen fizzing a pass into Charlie Allen, whose flick to Jamie Shackleton allowed him to feed Mateo Joseph.
The goal was a brilliant move and one Marsch would have loved to see during the first friendly. Whites fans will be hoping for plenty more of that identity to come through in Australia.
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