Leeds United will reportedly be forced to sell £100million worth of players if they fail to win promotion back to the Premier League – with the Whites set to learn their fate if they lose to Norwich City on Thursday evening at Elland Road, or in the play-off final against West Bromwich Albion or Southampton next weekend.
With player values depreciating in the Championship, the onus will be on Leeds to earn promotion back to the top-flight if they are to keep their best players. Not only does a higher club prestige come with playing in the Premier League, but players are more likely to sign for the club if they are in the top-flight – and, on the flip side, values decrease the longer a team spends in the second-tier, due to a lack of financial power and willingness on the players’ half to sign a new contract.
And, with two huge games hinging on their season, any slip-ups could force a mass exodus at Elland Road should they prevail without promotion.
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The report by the Daily Mail suggests that Leeds, if they do not achieve promotion, will be forced sell around 10 of their current crop of stars; and five of those have been named. Their prized asset is Crysencio Summerville, with the Dutchman scoring 20 goals in 47 games for the Yorkshire club this summer – and with Chelsea, Newcastle, Liverpool and Aston Villa all thought to be in the running, there is a very strong chance that the 22-year-old will be playing European football next season away from Elland Road.
Elsewhere, young stars Illan Meslier, Willy Gnonto and Georginio Rutter could leave. Meslier has been Leeds’ goalkeeper throughout the past four years and has made superb progress after joining as a youngster, whilst Gnonto has been a livewire and Rutter was named in the Championship Team of the Season – all marking sentimental etches in Leeds fans’ hearts.
The most concerning, though, might be Archie Gray, a local celebrity. The right-back, who won the EFL Young Player of the Season title, has a family history of Leeds United heroes owing to father Andy, great-uncle Eddie, and grandfather Frank. Should Leeds fail to advance, which would undoubtedly destroy their fan base, he has also been identified as a possible departing.
Patrick Bamford is one whose surprise factor will be less. The Leeds player, who was a standout in the Premier League, has struggled to settle into his shooting style this season. He may be leaving west Yorkshire following six years of service, during which he scored 17 goals in Leeds’ return to the top level and was called up to the England squad.
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Of course, there is a long way to go before you can even contemplate the idea that Leeds could go back down to League One. Financial problems oversaw a shock relegation from the Premier League in 2004, which saw them end their 14-year stay in the top-flight and enter the Championship. But monetary woes did not stop there and just three seasons after being relegated – including a play-off loss – Leeds went down again thanks to a 10-point deductions.
That isn’t to say the current state of the club is as bad as the one back then; but Derby, Sheffield Wednesday, Reading and Wigan have all suffered relegations after points deductions in recent seasons and there may be a consciousness on Leeds’ behalf to avoid the turmoil they suffered in the mid-2000’s once more – especially as it took them three seasons to win promotion back to the Championship.
The darkest days of the club were thought to be behind Leeds when they won promotion under Marcelo Bielsa and failure to win promotion back to the Premier League could spark fears amongst the fanbase.
