Leeds United news: Whites ‘win striker race’ as duo on course for exit set to report for pre-season

Leeds United’s preparations for the new season are about to be ramped up with a new manager incoming and pre-season training about to get going.

Club chiefs will already have been hard at work from the moment the season ended following the club’s relegation from the Premier League, and they should get some reward for that hard work with Daniel Farke looking set to take over. Preparations can then step up a notch, with pre-season kicking off next week, while new signings and more exits are likely to take place.

In the meantime, we have rounded up all the latest news surrounding Elland Road.

Duo set to return for now

Two likely exitees now look set to return to Thorp Arch for pre-season testing next week.

Both Marc Roca and Diego Llorente are expected to leave the club in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, they must report for pre-season, with the YEP reporting that both players will be part of the club’s first pre-season testing rounds.

Llorente looks likely to return to AS Roma on a loan deal, while Roca looks set to head to Real Betis on a loan with an option-to-buy, but both players must tick the boxes until those departures are confirmed.

Pirie deal close

Leeds look set to win the race for talented Aberdeen youngster Lewis Pirie, according to reports.

Pirie has reportedly been eyed by Crystal Palace, Sheffield United, Wolves and Celtic, but the Daily Record say it is Leeds who have won the race to sign the 16-year-old, who scored 51 goals across club and country last season. Many of those goals came for Aberdeen’s youth ranks, but it was enough for a number of clubs to take notice.

It’s reported Leeds will pay a ‘six-figure’ fee to lure Pirie to England, and he will likely initially link up with the development side.