Leeds United announcements on player futures expected 'pretty soon' after behind scene talks

Leeds United squad building talks have begun behind the scenes and the club will make announcements on the futures on out of contract players 'pretty soon' according to Daniel Farke.

Last week Farke said he and the board needed to sit down and agree on a way forward now that the first stage of their plan - Premier League status - was achieved and complete.

Speaking ahead of the top flight finale on Sunday and a trip to West Ham United, Farke revealed that some talks have now taken place but he is not yet ready to make any declarations on the future of players whose contracts end this summer.

Both Sam Byram and Illan Meslier will be out of contract at the end of June. The former came off the bench at Elland Road on Sunday against Brighton and Farke admitted after the game that it was 'always the plan' to put the defender on the pitch for the final home game.

"Not yet if I'm honest," he said. "Right now is a time for us to talk about a few things and sit together and take some decisions, this is what we've started in the last days.

“We know we have a couple of contracts running out, there will be a decision pretty soon. Sooner than a few weeks. As soon as everything is spoken about it will be announced. Nothing I want to confirm just now in the press conference, it's up to the club to announce."

Byram's second stint at the club coincided with the start of the Farke managerial era. The veteran was able to put his past injury issues behind him and played 37 games in that first season, which ended at Wembley in a play-off final defeat. Last season he made a further 39 appearances as Leeds won the Championship title and promotion back to the Premier League.

But since helping Leeds escape the second tier, Byram has found game time nigh on impossible to come by. His substitute cameo on Sunday against Brighton was only his second Premier League appearance of the campaign.

A versatile full-back, Byram has racked up 224 appearances for the Whites over his two stings, having come through the club's Thorp Arch academy.

Meslier was signed initially on loan from French side Lorient in 2019 helped Leeds win promotion under Marcelo Bielsa.

He replaced Kiko Casilla in goal for the final stage of the Covid-disrupted season and then kept the number one position for the club's three seasons in the Premier League.

Meslier was Farke's first choice in the Championship, too, until high profile errors last season saw Karl Darlow come in to see out the promotion bid. That marked the end of Meslier's involvement. His last game for Leeds came on March 2025, with Lucas Perri signed last summer and Darlow remaining above the Frenchman in the pecking order.