Leeds United are in the middle of a tight race for automatic promotion to the Premier League and they are focused on a tricky trip to Queens Park Rangers, where they have not won since 2017. However, the club have some big decisions to make on the future of several of their star players regardless of whether they get promoted. Leeds are planning with the idea of being a Premier League club in the summer and the club are assessing which players in the current squad can hang in the top flight if they go up. There is expected to be an overhaul of their squad but there is one player on whom there is a serious debate on whether the club should try to hold on to him this summer.
Promotion has not been secured and Daniel Farke and his Leeds United squad are focused on ensuring that they get the job done in the remaining nine games of the season.
However, the club have already started making some key recruitment decisions including the potential of signing Manor Solomon on a permanent deal in the summer transfer window.
Farke and the club’s decision makers will also have to sit down and assess the quality of the players they have in their squad and make a call on whom they should look to hold on to if they get promoted to the Premier League.
Leeds will carry out a major overhaul of the squad if they go up and some players who have brought them to this situation will be deemed not good enough for the top flight.
Junior Firpo is one of the players who will be out of contract at the end of the season and there is a feeling Leeds will try to sign a new left-back over offering him a new deal.
However, his performances have led to a debate on whether Leeds should take a gamble on him and hold on to him while redirecting the funds to other areas of the squad.
Can Leeds United justify letting one of their best players leave?
Firpo has been sensational for Leeds this season when he has been fit and ready to play. Since his return from injury earlier this year, he has been one of the biggest influences on the team’s results.
He has registered nine assists this season and his performances as a marauding left-back have been one of the features of the Leeds team in the ongoing campaign.
However, he is out of contract in the summer and as things stand, he is set to leave Elland Road on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Real Betis are interested in taking him back to the club and Leeds are yet to offer him a new deal with Daniel Farke insisting that discussions will only take place at the end of the season.
There are also question marks over Firpo’s suitability in the top flight as he was dreadful when he played for Leeds in the Premier League previously.
Leeds are expected to defend far more if they get promoted and there is a feeling the Whites would want to have a more defensive left-back than Firpo.
However, it would be extremely hard to justify letting the Dominican leave on a free transfer if Leeds get promoted given he has been absolutely brilliant this season.
Spend money on a new left-back or gamble on Firpo in the Premier League?
Once promotion is secured, Leeds would have decisions to make on their playing style and whether they could be this attacking in the Premier League.
There is almost universal consensus that it would be a recipe for disaster if Leeds do not change their ways and a relegation in the first season would be on the cards.
Firpo is a naturally attacking full-back and it makes sense for people to admit that his strength in the Championship could make him a liability in the Premier League.
However, sides who are strong at the back defend as a team and there are ways to accommodate attacking full-backs in an eleven without compromising on defensive solidity.
Can you name the missing sponsor on these 10 Leeds United shirts?
A strong defensive midfielder on Firpo’s side could cover for him when he bombs forward, even in the Premier League, and there are ways to get him into the team.
Letting one of your best players leave on a free transfer just because he was not good in the Premier League two years back seems a bit naive at this stage.
Leeds would have to spend north of the £20m mark to sign a replacement and there is no guarantee that he would be a better defender than Firpo.
It makes sense to hold on to Firpo, sign a back-up left-back and redirect the funds towards other areas of the squad that still need more quality additions.
