Ex-Leeds United star declares £50m Whites solution with 'era-defining' warning

Ex-Whites midfielder David Prutton will present the Sky Sports coverage of the Championship play-offs this weekend, in which his former side Leeds will bid for an immediate Premier League return. Leeds had their automatic promotion destiny in their own hands entering the season’s home straight but a haul of just four points from a last possible 18 consigned them to the play-offs via a third-placed finish.

Daniel Farke’s side now face sixth-placed finishers Norwich City in the play-offs semis, the first of which presents itself at Carrow Road in a 12 noon kick-off on Sunday lunchtime. The second leg will then take place at Elland Road next Thursday night but Prutton is urging United to be brave and bold in the first leg at Norwich in a bid to establish an early lead.

The ex-Whites midfielder has also warned that any play-offs campaign is potentially “era-defining” and admits the best way to avoid a suggested £50m headache over two star players is to quite simply go back up.

Speaking to the YEP ahead of Sunday’s play-offs semi-final first leg at Norwich City, David Prutton said: "They have got to be bold, be brave. They have got to play in the way that we know Leeds can play. They can be wonderfully expansive and creative in attack and they can be solid at the back.

"If they get a mixture of those two which is Leeds at their best then they have got a huge chance. Man for man, collectively, they have got one of if not the best squad in those four teams. But it doesn't matter if they don't perform and they have to perform."

Pressed on how pivotal the play-offs were to United’s future, Prutton admitted: "It's huge and any attempt at a play-offs can be potentially era-defining. If they get back up then it stops it being Leeds flirting with the top division for a couple of seasons and then going back to where they were in the wilderness for 16 years.

"That's what they've got to guard against and that also helps with keeping potential prized assets because it's not packed to the rafters with loan players. The baulk of it are Leeds players and the baulk of it are people that have been signed and are Leeds owned.

"Every club is a selling club. If they don't go up and Crysencio Summerville goes for £30m and Archie Gray goes for £20m and someone looks at Georgino Rutter and thinks we will give him a pop then you have to give it serious consideration. The way you stave it off is to get promoted."