Noel Whelan has revealed that he is “very concerned” at the prospect of striker Kemar Roofe leaving Leeds United after the club and the player reportedly hit an impasse in talks over a new deal.
According to Football Insider, Roofe is at odds with the Whites as he seeks to be among the club’s top earners with a new £30,000 per week deal.
Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan said that it is important that Leeds reach some sort of agreement with Roofe, who is entering the final year of his current Elland Road Deal.
“Yes, I’m very concerned about the contract talks. It’s important to keep him,” the BBC pundit said. “You don’t want to lose a player who regularly scores goals, it’s as simple as that.
“Kemar Roofe is one of the best strikers in the Championship when he is at his best and he is a player we don’t want to lose.
“He needs to bag more goals and that means going to the next level and scoring 20 goals or more in the Championship. Who he cut it in the Premier League? I’m not sure, no-one knows that.”
OPINION
Whelan is spot on with his comments here. There is no doubt that Leeds are in need of another striker that can fire them into the Championship’s automatic promotion spots next season, but their first priority should be keeping hold of their own. Roofe is a brilliant striker and, on his day, he can produce some of the best. Therefore, that should be the Whites’ first priority. Having one brilliant striker around is better than having none – that is the mindset the club must take. Roofe only scored 15 goals in the Championship last season – obviously not a number that is going to get you to the top two spots in the table – but surely if Leeds tied him down to a bumper new contract then the striker will have renewed vigour and motivation to maybe be the man that finally delivers Leeds fans their dream of returning to the top flight.