Leeds United have been guilty of selling some of their best players too early. Fans at Elland Road have seen some of the biggest stars at the club come and go.
Kalvin Phillips left for big money to Manchester City, and Raphinha left to Barcelona. The most recent example of Leeds having their hearts broken was when academy youngster Archie Gray left for Spurs. The club’s fans only managed to enjoy him during his breakout season.
The Whites have made some huge income from these players, but many have been left wondering what could have been if they stayed.
QUIZ: Can you name the team Leeds United signed these players from in the 2000s?
Crystal Palace eye move for Charlie Cresswell
Charlie Cresswell Credit: Imago
Another recent example is Charlie Cresswell. The defender was another product of Thorp Arch who caught the headlines when he started a few games as a youngster in the Premier League. But he did not see eye to eye with Daniel Farke when the German took over, and the defender was eventually sold to Toulouse in France.
And now according to reports, Cresswell could be set for a return to England. We Are Palace are reporting that Crystal Palace is a possible destination for the England U21 star. The Premier League side are looking for a replacement for club captain Marc Guehi. The England defender’s contract is up next summer and everything points to him leaving for free.
If Palace were to sign Charlie Cresswell, Leeds stand to benefit from the transfer fee. The Whites have a 15% sell-on clause for the defender. Which simply means that they get 15% of any profit Toulouse makes on his next transfer. Leeds sold Cresswell to Toulouse in 2024 for a fee said to be around £3.8 million.
The numbers behind Leeds United star’s exit
Charlie Cresswell’s time at the club was very interesting. After a loan spell at Millwall where he announced himself as a top prospect in English football, many expected him to kick on at Elland Road. But for some strange reason, Daniel Farke did not want to play him. The defender was at Leeds for a few years and only managed to play 10 league games across the Premier League and Championship totalling 288 minutes. On his loan spell at Millwall, Cresswell played 2,262 minutes.
