With players such as Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha rumoured to be on their way out should Leeds United end up being relegated, TalkSport reporter Alex Crook believes it would be a huge blow as it means the Whites may not get their money’s worth.
According to the Daily Mail, there are a number of Leeds players with relegation release clauses in their contracts – which could come into effect if results go against them this weekend.
Leeds United’s season all comes down to Sunday, knowing they have to rely on results elsewhere as well as getting a positive result themselves to beat the drop.
As things stand, Jesse Marsch’s side are in the bottom three on goal difference, with Burnley being the only other side that could go down instead of the Whites. With there being a 20-goal deficit to make up in goal difference, Leeds will have to better Burnley’s result.
Will Leeds avoid relegation?Yes!
No!
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TalkSport’s Alex Crook has been talking to GiveMeSport about the implications of star players like Phillips and Raphinha – who were the subject of a double bid from West Ham United in January – leaving on the cheap should Leeds go down.
He said: “It is a blow, but they were in a no-win position because if they’d sold Raphinha and Phillips in January, the fans would have turned. You saw them turning at the end of the game at the weekend, because that would have almost been a resignation that they were going down.
“West Ham left it too late to try and get that deal done anyway, in the last 48 hours of the window, but clearly there’s a big difference between getting £60m and £100m.”
TIF Thoughts on Alex Crook’s comments…
You’d fully expect the likes of Phillips and Raphinha to be on their way out if Leeds do go down, especially with the reported interest in them. West Ham were interested in January so could come back in for the duo. The Hammers have qualified for Europe next season and you’d imagine it would be hard to keep the pair if a club competing in Europe were interested.
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Crook is right, though, it was a tricky situation in January. Leeds either had to sell their best players and almost certainly see the side relegated, or give it their best shot at staying up and keep the side together. If Leeds can beat the drop, they certainly made the right decision.
In other news: Paul Robinson fumes at LUFC board