Can Leeds' loan stars play in the Championship play-offs? The rules on temporary transfers explained

Will Marcelo Bielsa be able to play his loan stars in the play-offs?

Who are out on loan?

Leeds currently have a whopping 14 players out on loan this season, with stars plying their trade across England and Europe.

The full list includes:

Connor Shaughnessy - Hearts

Samu Saiz - Gatefe

Vurnin Anita - Willem II

Laurens De Bock - K.V. Oostende

Hadi Sacko - Ankaragücü

Pawel Cibicki - IF Elfsborg

Jay-Roy Grot - VVV-Venlo

Yosuke Ideguchi - Greuther Fürth

Ousaim Bouy - PEC Zwolle

Lewis Coyle - Fleetwood Town

Tyler Denton - Peterborough United

Tom Pearce - Scunthorpe United

Paudie O'Connor - Bradford City

Sam Dalby - Morecambe Town

Yet although their seasons are over at their temporary sides none can feature for the Whites in the play-offs.

What are the rules?

In past years, standard loans would finish on a specified date, usually the last day of the regular season, then their registration would revert to their parent club at once - meaning the player in question would be eligible to play in play-off games.

And other emergency loans were for 90 days, meaning that when they finished they could return to their parent club and go straight into the team, in theory.

Last season, however, a new system began and all loans extended right up until the next registration period begins.

Essentially, the rule means no returning loan player can turn out for the team until the new transfer window opens.

The Football League’s player registration rules spells the situation out in black and white.

Regulation 53.1.4 states: “A player whose standard loan expires (or terminates) at the end of the season of the transferee club but prior to the completion of the league matches of his parent club (where it is a member club) will not be eligible to play in any remaining league matches in that season.”

What about the players on loan at Leeds?

Marcelo Bielsa currently has two players on loan from other clubs at Elland Road.

22-year-old right winger Jack Harrison has stared regularly since joining on a temporary basis from Manchester City in the summer - pitching in with four goals in 36 Championship appearances.

Isaiah Brown, also 22, joined on loan from Chelsea in the summer, but injuries have limited the forward to just one league appearance.

Both will be eligible to play Frank Lampard's Derby County over the two legs, and a potential play-off final at Wembley.