Leeds United are now believed to be open to the idea of releasing Luke Ayling in the summer window on a free transfer.
And presenter of the Leeds United – The View YouTube channel, Ger Lynch, has shared his disappointment at the transfer suggestion.
The 31-year-old has now been playing his football at Elland Road for over six years, having joined from Bristol City for a fee of under £1m in the summer of 2016.
Since his arrival at Elland Road, Ayling has gone on to make over 200 appearances across all competitions, returning eight goals and 19 assists.
But when you look at the returns of some of the top full-backs in the Premier League, some of those players come close to matching those figures in a single season.
Despite this, Lynch has shared his disappointment at the news, suggesting he’d want Ayling to stick around:
He said: “Luke Ayling has been with the club since 2016, has 228 appearances for the club and has been a massive leader and influence on the team during our promotion campaign and into the Premier League.
“He really has given an awful lot to Leeds. Hate to see a player just leave like that, I kind of want them to keep him around.”
TIF Thoughts on Lynch’s comments…
Leeds added to their options at right-back over the summer with Danish defender Rasmus Kristensen, who has taken the majority of starts in the Premier League under Jesse Marsch.
Is Ayling still good enough for Leeds?
Yes
No
With Ayling’s current deal winding down, it has to be questioned whether he currently brings enough to Marsch’s side to warrant a contract extension.
And we have to lean towards the idea of him not deserving a new deal. Yes, he has been a fantastic servant for the club and has helped them to earn a spot back in the Premier League, but is he of Premier League quality?
We aren’t so sure, and with Leeds failing to really make a step forward since their first season in the league, perhaps it is time to move players such as Ayling on.