Leeds United to open contract talks with star forward Kemar Roofe

The Elland Road club are understood to have held initial dialogue with Roofe’s representatives and plan to begin formal discussions in the next few weeks after the 25-year-old’s impressive start to the term.

Roofe is currently absent with a short-term calf injury and will not be fit until Leeds’ visit to Blackburn Rovers on October 20 but he won the EFL’s Championship player-of-the-month award for August after scoring four goals and registering two assists.

The former Oxford United forward is less than two years away from the end of the four-year deal he signed when he made a £3m move from the Kassam Stadium in 2016 and his initial form under head coach Marcelo Bielsa has significantly enhanced his reputation.

Leeds are looking to commit to Roofe beyond 2020 and the forward is believed to be keen to secure an improved contract which would establish him as one of the club’s higher earners.

Roofe top-scored with 14 goals last season but his chances of regular starts this this were challenged by the £7m arrival of Patrick Bamford from Middlesbrough in early August.

Bielsa, however, began the campaign with Roofe in his preferred XI and Bamford will be absent until after Christmas having damaged a PCL ligament during an Under-23s match three weeks ago.

The season’s second international break starts after Saturday’s meeting with Brentford at Elland Road.