Leeds United have already guaranteed their Premier League status with games still left to play, and attention has already started to turn towards possible deals in the summer transfer window.
The club’s recruitment team know this summer is likely to be more challenging than last year, as they need to improve the squad without spending too heavily on individual signings.
Daniel Farke has made it clear he wants strong backing from the Leeds board this summer, and the club are eager to ensure he has the funds available to raise the overall quality of the squad.
The Championship’s Spygate scandal has major ramifications for Leeds’ transfer plans, and one player, also a target for the Whites, caught in the crossfire, has spoken out about the end-of-season disaster.
Leo Scienza breaks his silence after Southampton’s expulsion
Southampton signed Leo Scienza last summer, and the attacking midfielder has played a key role in helping the Saints remain among the promotion contenders.
His performances in the Championship turned heads in the Premier League as well, and Leeds are among the clubs that are keen to take advantage of Southampton’s situation and poach him in the summer.
However, Scienza, who is now likely to leave the Saints, has expressed his frustration in a statement released on his socials and has spoken about the club’s shattered dreams of playing in the Premier League next season.
Scienza took to Instagram and wrote: “Disappointment, anger, sadness … It’s difficult to find the right words for what we’re all feeling right now.
“What has happened over the last [few] days is heartbreaking.. for the club, for every player in this dressing room, and above all for our supporters. A moment like this should never end the way it did.
“I feel sorry for every football fan, as well as the players and supporters of Hull and Boro, who were caught up in all of this chaos, too.
“We gave everything for this dream. Day after day, sacrifice after sacrifice, always believing we could bring this club back to where it belongs. For me, the dream of playing in the Premier League was something I fought for with everything I had. That’s why this pain cuts so deep.
“The hardest part is knowing how much our fans deserved this moment. You stood behind us all season with incredible passion, loyalty and belief. Even in the toughest moments, you carried us forward.
“Thank you for staying with us through everything. You definitely deserved better.”
Leeds have stakes in the ‘Spygate’ scandal
The Whites could now miss out on signing Hayden Hackney if Middlesbrough beat Hull City in the final and earn promotion to the Premier League.
Hackney is one of Leeds’ top targets, but Boro are unlikely to sell the midfielder if they play in the Premier League next season.
However, Leo Scienza is now almost certain to leave Southampton after the Saints were expelled from the playoff final.
Leeds are in the market for an attacking midfielder, and the Brazilian’s performances in the Championship have impressed the Whites.
There is a feeling that Scienza has the ability to make the step up to the Premier League, and he is also keen to play in the top flight.
