Leeds United 'ready to accept' offers for £11m outcast as Middlesbrough boss addresses Luke Ayling's future

Leeds United will be looking to cement their status as serious automatic promotion candidates when they host Millwall at Elland Road on Sunday. Daniel Farke's side made it 11 wins from a 12-game unbeaten run at Sheffield Wednesday last week to pull within touching distance of league leaders Leicester City.

Victory by two or more goals on Sunday will see Leeds climb into first-place, where they could remain for almost two weeks due to the March international break. It's set to be another massive week in the promotion race and the YEP has rounded up some of the latest stories in the meantime.

Wober latest

Max Wober may have played his final game for Leeds with reports suggesting the club are open to permanent offers this summer. Football Insider reports that the defender is expected to leave for good, just 18 months after arriving in an £11million deal from RB Salzburg.

Wober was one of three arrivals in January 2023, alongside Georginio Rutter and the on-loan Weston McKennie. The Austrian enjoyed the most instant impact but failed to keep the Whites up and eventually exercised a loan exit clause in his contract to join Borussia Monchengladbach.

There is no permanent option in that loan deal and it is unclear whether the Bundesliga side would be able to afford a permanent move for the defender who has played 22 times for them this season. Wober is contracted until 2027 at Leeds.

Carrick on Ayling

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick insists the on-loan Luke Ayling is focused solely on the upcoming fixtures amid uncertainty over his long-term future. The 32-year-old's loan at the Riverside ends this summer and he is out of contract at Leeds, with no new deal expected at Elland Road.

"You're always playing for something and as it stands at the moment that's obviously what's next," Carrick told The Northern Echo. "Looking at him, that's not at the forefront of his mind at all. He's all in, he's desperate to do well and win games for us. We'll see, that will play out how it's going to play out over the next few months."

"He's a solid character, he's got that personality that rubs off on others and he's quite commanding around the dressing room. It's important to have that balance. Everyone can't be like that but you need certain boys to do that. He's played a big part in it. I think Bill has shown his experience really. He's been in this situation, he's seen it, he knows what it takes.”