Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Phil Hay has said that Leeds and Kemar Roofe are quite a way apart in terms of “initial contract conversations”.
The club’s top-scorer is out of contract next summer and Leeds will be keen to tie him down.
Talking on the latest episode of the Inside Elland Road podcast, Hay said that he was one of three players he thought the club would be under pressure with this summer.
“Is anyone going to be sold?” Hay said. “The three I would imagine they’re going to be under pressure with, the first is Kemar Roofe and he’s almost down to his last 12 years and he’s in that position where he’s potentially one year away from being a free agent and being able to pick up a massive contract somewhere.
“For the club he’s a year away from being worth nothing, going without earning them a penny.
“Kalvin Phillips, after his performances it’s hard to think there won’t be any interest in him. And Pontus Jansson. Every summer we ask about Jansson.
“The state of play with Roofe is that he hasn’t had a contract offer, not a formal one.
“There was a plan to speak to him last October and in the Jan window but at this stage they’re quite far apart in terms of initial conversations.
“You can understand that. Roofe is on a fairly low level deal by Championship standards.
“He was signed in 2016 from Oxford when [Massimo] Cellino was owner. He’s a long way below Bamford and could make a decent argument for parity which would be a substantial pay rise.”
“As yet I’m not aware of any bids but that’s the consequence of not going up.”
OPINION
That’s quite a conundrum for Leeds. With money tight after failing to win promotion, there isn’t going to be a lot of cash for bumper new contracts. But we imagine that Bamford and Kiko Casilla will be on a lot more than Roofe and, as top-scorer, he’ll want to get what he thinks he deserves. With just 12 months left on his contract he’s worth less than he would be if he was signed up for another three or four years and Leeds can’t afford to lose him for nothing. Not doing anything this summer could lead to a disastrous outcome next year when he could leave for free.