Following an encouraging return to the Premier League that saw them finish 14th, Leeds United are now concentrating on the summer transfer window and how they can continue moving forward next season.
Chairman Paraag Marathe has indicated that Leeds are unlikely to be as busy in the transfer market as they were last summer, with the club believing the current squad already provides a solid platform to build on.
That does not mean there is any desire to stand still, though. Daniel Farke has consistently spoken about the need for ambition and wants to see the club build on the progress made over the past year. The Leeds boss is focused on adding quality to the squad and ensuring the team continues to evolve rather than simply settling for survival.
Leeds have some tough decisions to make on certain players, and Daniel Farke cannot afford to wait around for at least one star to finalise his future at Elland Road.
Daniel Farke must make a ruthless Pascal Struijk decision
Pascal Struijk has a year left on his contract at Leeds, and there is uncertainty around his future at Elland Road ahead of the summer transfer window.
Leeds would prefer to hold on to the defender. However, there are suggestions that the Dutch centre-back is considering his future at the club.
He could seek a fresh challenge and move on from Leeds in the summer, and the club are likely to sell if he doesn’t sign a new contract with the Whites.
However, there is still no clarity over his future at Leeds, and it seems no decision has been made on whether he will stay or leave the club this summer.
Leeds have been tracking centre-backs with a view to replacing Struijk. However, they cannot make a concrete move until they have clarity on the Dutchman’s future.
Daniel Farke must step in and make a ruthless decision to ensure the club have more clarity on their centre-back options ahead of the summer.
Farke cannot wait for him forever
The Leeds boss would prefer to see the defender sign a new contract and stay at Elland Road. However, that is not the case at the moment.
Farke must get ruthless with Struijk and push the defender to decide on his future at Leeds in the upcoming transfer window.
| 🛡️ Defensive Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 👕 Appearances (Starts) | 35 (33) |
| ⏱️ Minutes Played | 2,937′ |
| 🚀 Total Clearances | 207 |
| ✈️ Aerial Duels Won | 110 |
| 📊 Aerial Duel Success % | 55.8% |
| 🧲 Ball Recoveries | 118 |
| ⚔️ Total Tackles | 39 |
| 🔀 Interceptions | 31 |
| 🧱 Blocked Shots | 19 |
| 🧼 Clean Sheets | 6 |
| 📈 FotMob Season Rating | 6.91 |
Leeds cannot wait for the defender to make a decision late in the window and leave while the club scrambles to bring in an adequate replacement.
The manager must demand that the Dutchman finalise his call and let the club know what he wants to do ahead of the start of pre-season training next month.
Leeds cannot afford to get their preparations disrupted by a key player wanting to leave the club, and they would prefer to get clarity earlier.
