Leeds United are certainly set for an interesting few weeks as they begin preparing for life in the Championship. Takeover clarity is the obvious priority at this point, but the club must find a new director of football and head coach sooner rather than later, with the start of pre-season now just around the corner.
All that comes before recruitment and the shape of next season’s squad can be fully considered. A host of players are expected to leave the club this summer following Premier League relegation, but others will stay and help the Whites push towards promotion at the first time of asking.
With that in mind, LeedsLive takes a look at the club’s state of play when it comes to its current crop of defenders.
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Expected to stay
Liam Cooper, Luke Ayling, Stuart Dallas, Pascal Struijk, Rasmus Kristensen
Nothing is guaranteed right now, but the club can probably expect their most experienced players to stick around at Elland Road this summer. Liam Cooper and Luke Ayling, the club’s captain and vice-captain, have already posted messages on social media to declare their intentions for the new season and they’ll have vital roles to play when it comes to settling the ship, no doubt.
The same can be said for Dallas, who missed the entire Premier League season through injury. The Northern Irishman wasn’t ready to feature last time around as he continues to recover from a fractured femur, but he’s on the comeback trail and he’ll hope to see light at the end of the tunnel this summer.
Dallas will be edged back into the action slowly but he has the potential to be key on and off the field. Pascal Struijk was one of Leeds’ most used players last season, with most of his game time coming at left-back after making the spot his own for a lengthy period of time.
Struijk struggled for confidence at the back end of the season, but he’ll be looking to bounce back by finding his feet once more and nailing down a place in the side. Rasmus Kristensen is understood to have informed Angus Kinnear of his desire to stay at Elland Road next season, too, providing depth in a number of positions across the backline.
Expected to leave
Junior Firpo, Diego Llorente, Robin Koch
Departures are to be expected and there has already been noise regarding the above trio’s uncertain future at the club. Fabrizio Romano broke the news this week that Junior Firpo expects to leave Elland Road this summer with interest coming from across the continent.
Firpo hasn’t really settled since arriving from Barcelona in 2021 and reports would suggest he is already planning his next move away from West Yorkshire. Llorente is likely to be on the move, too, after a decent loan spell with Roma.
Romano claims the Italian outfit might not be willing to pay the pre-agreed amount of £15.47m (€18m), but right now it’s hard to see the Spain international being keen to stick around next season. Robin Koch’s situation is a little different.
The German was one of Leeds’ best performers defensively this season and on the back of his good form he can expect a move up the ladder. Tottenham and Newcastle have been linked to his signature over the last few months, while Bundesliga clubs have also been credited with interest.
Uncertain
Max Wober, Cody Drameh.
There’s a degree of uncertainty surrounding the whole summer at present with changes set to be made throughout the club. However, Wober’s situation appears to be one of the most unclear at present.
The Austrian joined Leeds in January from Red Bull Salzburg and he certainly looked the part in the Premier League. As such, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see interest emerge for him, but there’s been no clear indication just yet in regards to whether he’ll stay or go.
Drameh, on the other hand, seems open to the idea of staying at Leeds following his successful loan spell with Luton Town. However, as reported by Leeds Live last week, it seems he would need assurances of first-team football from the new head coach, with links already being made to Burnley and a return to Kenilworth Road.
Pushing to emerge
Charlie Cresswell, Leo Hjelde, Diogo Monteiro, Jeremiah Mullen.
After an impressive loan spell with Millwall last term, Cresswell looks set to stick around at Elland Road and it could be his breakthrough season at his boyhood club. The centre-back turns 21 in August and needs first-team football if he is to continue his progression as a player.
He’s likely to get that in some capacity at Leeds should he stick around next season with the club expected to use their homegrown academy talent to fill in the gaps within their squad. Cresswell has shown he can perform in the Championship and he will hope to take the next step in his career next season.
The same can be said for Leo Hjelde, who excelled on loan at Rotherham this year. The Norwegian youth international offers much-needed depth on the left and in the middle and he will be striving for regular minutes next time around.
Monteiro and Mullen are a step or two further back in their career trajectory, but they will have high hopes of catching the new head coach’s eye and earning a chance next season. Both players featured on the bench in the Premier League last season and, on the back of their form in the Under-21s side, the club will be watching their progress closely.
