It has been a very busy transfer window in West Yorkshire with seven arrivals so far, £95million spent and the sale of the club’s two big-money assets. Jesse Marsch and Victor Orta have been quick to show they have learned from the mistakes of last season, adding depth to a skeleton-thin squad and strengthening vulnerable areas.
Those arrivals were funded by the sales of Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, who left for Manchester City and Barcelona respectively and brought in £100million. But there is still plenty to do in terms of both signings and sales.
As is natural with any summer of improvement, those on the fringes of the first-team squad will be pushed further down the pecking order. Jesse Marsch has had countless decisions to make on the likes of Charlie Cresswell, Jamie Shackleton and Crysencio Summerville as he attempts to trim the fat of the squad without making it unhealthily thin.
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There are some whose futures are still up in the air, but the majority of fringe players and young prospects have clear plans, whether that be a loan move away or an increase in first-team prominence in the near future - and thousands of Leeds fans have now had their say on whether those decisions have been correct via LeedsLive's special Keep or Sell survey.
One of the first headaches for Marsch was what to do with Charlie Cresswell, with the 19-year-old fifth-choice centre-back at Elland Road and at a crucial period in his development. Whites fans were almost unanimous in their opinion that the defender should remain a Leeds player, with 90.9% of the 3,968 voting fans urging Marsch to keep the teenager. And although he has since departed for Millwall, Cresswell’s future is clearly going to be in West Yorkshire, with the colossal defender seen as a natural successor to Liam Cooper.
Cresswell has been joined at the Den by Jamie Shackleton who, after significantly reduced minutes upon Premier League promotion, decided a loan move was the best way to get regular football. 58.9% of the 3,952 fans quizzed on Shackleton's future wanted the 22-year-old to stay, so news of Millwall's option-to-buy clause in his loan deal may come as a surprise to most who hoped he'd return after next season.
Queens Park Rangers also have an option-to-buy Tyler Roberts once his temporary deal at Loftus Road ends next summer, and with 83.5% of fans wanting to sell the Welshman that decision looks to have been vindicated. The 23-year-old has had a mixed four years at Elland Road but made just seven league starts last season as his minutes dwindled.
Those in charge at Elland Road also look to have made the correct decision in keeping Crysencio Summerville and Cody Drameh on board, with 90.9% and 85.8% of supporters voting to keep these future stars. Both were part of Marsch’s 26-man pre-season travelling party and impressed Down Under, suggesting they will grow in influence among the squad in the upcoming campaign.
Whites fans remain divided on Rodrigo, however, with 57.3% out of 4,042 voting to keep the Spaniard and 42.7% wanting to sell. The forward became Leeds’ record signing in the summer of 2020, arriving for £27million, but he has failed to make the desired impact after two seasons in West Yorkshire with some believing he is past his best.
But Marsch sees the 31-year-old as a key part of the squad and a pivotal member of his senior leadership group, with no suggestion that the 27-cap Spain international will leave before his 2024 contract expires. More results from the Keep or Sell survey can be read HERE with fans pulling no punches when it comes to the futures of players like Kiko Casilla, Helder Costa, Ian Poveda and more.
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