Leeds United reportedly keen to renew key figure and assistant's contract for additional 12 months

Leeds initially appointed Hammond on a short-term contract during the summer, tasked with overseeing the Whites’ exhaustive transfer incomings and outgoings. While the summer window’s business happened in two separate stages, as players exited Elland Road en masse at the beginning of the summer, work done has so far been deemed a success as Leeds sit fifth in the Championship table. The club acquired the likes of £12 million Joel Piroe from Swansea City, Ethan Ampadu for £7 million and Sam Byram on a free transfer, all of whom have played key roles during the first 11 games of the campaign.

According to The Athletic, Leeds are exploring the possibility of renewing Hammond’s contract, this time on lengthier terms that would see him and recruitment assistant Gary Penrice remain at Elland Road for the next two transfer windows. This may lead to a change in Hammond’s title, from interim transfers advisor, to a more permanent description of his function within the offices at LS11.

Along with the aforementioned trio, Leeds also added Glen Kamara from Rangers, Ilia Gruev from German Bundesliga side Werder Bremen and back-up goalkeeper Karl Darlow from Hammond’s former employers Newcastle United, as well as numerous loan signings. Fifty-six-year-old Hammond has previously held football consultancy and sporting directorship roles at Celtic, West Bromwich Albion and Reading, spanning 20 years since his own retirement from playing the game, and as a consequence is understood to have a vast array of contacts.

The former goalkeeper was also instrumental in the appointment of Daniel Farke as the club’s new manager, which is perhaps the most successful of Leeds’ summer additions at this early stage of the season.

Hammond and Penrice, who worked together at Celtic Park, have operated in tandem with technical director Gretar Steinsson who was also appointed by Leeds this summer. The recruitment setup at Elland Road is somewhat different to the model which saw director of football Victor Orta lead a team of trusted scouts during previous seasons and is now a more collaborative arrangement.