CBS journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed that Leeds United may retain the services of Tyler Adams even if the West Yorkshire club find themselves relegated from the Premier League this season.
With the Whites currently sitting 18th in the table, one point behind 17th placed Everton, the prospect of relegation from the top-flight is very real for the Elland Road faithful. With two games of the season still to play, it really is do or die time for their side.
Not only do Leeds have to focus on winning their own games, they also have to keep a keen eye on how their relegation rivals – Everton, Leicester, and Nottingham Forest – perform during the run-in.
Staying up is a tough ask for Sam Allardyce’s side, and as such thoughts have already turned to which players would leave in the summer were the Whites to go down. Among those whose future is in doubt is one of Leeds’ standout players of the season, Tyler Adams.
The 23-year-old, signed last summer as a replacement for the then recently-departed Kalvin Phillips, has impressed during his time in West Yorkshire. His displays have caught the eye so much, in fact, that he was given the title of USMNT captain for last year’s World Cup in Qatar.
Adams has reportedly attracted transfer interest in the past, and were Leeds to be relegated to the Championship this would certainly be cranked up a notch.
Despite this, Jacobs – speaking to GiveMeSport – has tipped the American international to stay at Leeds even in the second-tier, and even states that Adams would ‘relish’ the opportunity to play at that level.
“I would expect any relegation for Leeds to impact [Weston] McKennie a little bit more than Adams because the latter is locked in at Leeds, and I think Adams would perhaps relish the Championship and thrive in the Championship.
“He’s a leader, he’s a battler and Leeds won’t want to let him go. Obviously, the player perspective and offers will always be a factor in all of this, but I don’t see Adams as being first one out the door or anything like that, quite the opposite.
“I think that Leeds would see him as highly valuable in the Championship.”
The Whites would undoubtedly find it easier to keep Adams were they to retain their Premier League status this term, with a win against West Ham on Sunday being a must to give themselves any chance of doing so.
