Leeds United handed summer transfer warning as promotion hopes addressed after Archie Gray sale
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Leeds United were always going to have to make difficult decisions this summer in regards to player sales. The Whites agonisingly missed out on promotion last term and consequently the club needed to balance the books in order to remain compliant with PSR.
The departure of Marc Roca helped claw back some money, but the deal that saw Archie Gray move to Tottenham Hotspur was the club's first major sale of the summer. The Whites picked up a fee of £40m for the academy graduate and the hope among supporters is that Gray will be the last high profile departure this summer.
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Hide AdHowever, a host of names continue to be linked away from Elland Road with clubs said to be queuing up for the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Wilfried Gnonto. United have knocked back a bid for Georginio Rutter, too, while Illan Meslier and Glen Kamara are among those said to be attracting strong interest this summer. That's before the futures of Charlie Cresswell, Diego Llorente, Max Wober and Rasmus Kristensen are sorted.
Leeds won't be looking to sell any more key performers this summer, but it seems as though their resolve could be tested as the summer progresses and the start of the Championship season edges ever closer. Ex-Aston Villa man turned Talksport pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has been speaking about Leeds’ situation following Gray's sale and he understands the club's position. However, the former England international has warned Leeds that further sales could significantly impact their promotion hopes this season.
"Listen, you don’t want to lose one of your young talents, do you?", Agbonlahor said on Talksport. "But the problems they have financially, not getting promoted affected them. They have got to sell and they are getting the figures we are talking about.
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Hide Ad"Financially Leeds need to sell. I agree (sell somebody else). But I am sure Archie Gray, even though he would love to stay at Leeds, wants to go and play Premier League football. It’s like any young player.
"It might be your team and you are Leeds through and through, but the chance to go and play for a big Premier League club, you can’t turn down. Then Leeds have to be very careful, you start selling all their best players, then it’s going to be very difficult to get promoted next season.”
Joe Rodon became the club's first new signing this summer with the Wales international making last season's loan move permanent. However, the club will be keen add more fresh faces to Daniel Farke's squad over the next couple of months to give themselves the best possible chance of winning promotion to the Premier League.