Leeds United have been warned that one of their top stars could leave Elland Road in the next summer transfer window.
Daniel Farke’s side sit seventh in the Premier League table after eight games, and many expect them to qualify for European football next season.
However, their start to the season has also boosted the club’s visibility, and some individual performances have turned heads across Europe in the last couple of months.
But greater visibility and hype have sparked interest in some of Leeds’ top performers, and there is now a genuine fear that one of them could leave Elland Road next summer.
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Fears emerge that Leeds will lose a star after just one season
Tarik Muharemovic has emerged as one of the Premier League’s defensive stars just months after joining Leeds from Sassuolo for a deal worth £34.5m.
However, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Inter and Liverpool have all been linked with a move to sign him from Leeds at the end of the season.
The Whites have no intention of selling him, and it could take a bid of more than £60m to even bring Leeds to the negotiating table for Muharemovic.
However, Leeds journalist Jonny Buchan has conceded that Muharemovic could leave Elland Road next summer.
He told the BBC: “There could be a fear he is a one-year wonder with Leeds in that he does that well in the Premier League, raises his profile that much, that clubs will come for him.”
Former Leeds boss Simon Grayson also conceded the defender could eventually leave, but he’s banking on the connection he’s built with the club.
“I’m not daft enough to think he doesn’t have aspirations to one day play for some of the biggest clubs in the world”, Grayson added.
“But right now? Sometimes a player is at home with a certain club, and I get that feeling with Muharemovic. I get the impression he loves Leeds, he loves the city, and he loves the supporters.”
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This will be a test of Leeds’ ambition
Leeds United must make retaining Tarik Muharemovic a priority next summer if they are serious about building a squad capable of competing higher up the Premier League table. The defender could become a cornerstone of their backline, and losing him as he begins to establish himself would be a huge step backwards.
Ambitious clubs do not simply develop talented players for wealthier rivals to take away. They build around them, improve them and create an environment where they want to stay. Leeds have spoken about their long-term ambitions, but those plans will mean little if they keep selling their best young players.
Interest from clubs such as Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Barcelona would make it difficult to retain Muharemovic. However, Leeds must show they can compete for talent and keep it, rather than just cash in.
