The 49ers have held a planning meeting with Daniel Farke ahead of the summer window and the Leeds United board have made one thing clear to the German manager.
Leeds’ bid for automatic promotion took a huge turn for the worse on the weekend as they were beaten 4-0 by QPR in a shock defeat to Marti Cifuentes’ side. It handed Ipswich the chance to take advantage.
They got a point away at Hull City in an enthralling 3-3 draw. It leaves Leeds hanging onto second place by the skin of their teeth, on goal difference with Ipswich boasting a game in hand on Tuesday night.
Ipswich go to Coventry City just 72 hours after their clash at Hull. Avoiding defeat for Kieran McKenna’s side will see them go above Leeds ahead of the final weekend of the season as Leeds face Southampton.
Ipswich take on Huddersfield Town at Portman Road. But defeat for Ipswich against The FA Cup semi-finalists on Tuesday hands the advantage back to Leeds, with a win against Southampton enough.
Plenty to play for going into this week and The 49ers are planning for the summer whether that be in the Premier League or the Championship. Ben Jacobs told Give Me Sport they’ve held a meeting with Farke.
Clearly backing the German to take Leeds into the 2024-25 campaign, The 49ers have given the Leeds manager assurances about some of his star players. If promoted the club will reject any new offers.
49ers hold Leeds meeting with Daniel Farke about summer
“If Leeds go up, the aim will be to keep the core of their squad together. The Leeds ownership have already had one meeting with Daniel Farke as part of their pre-summer planning,” Jacobs reported.
“In that meeting, they have made it clear that promotion to the Premier League will afford him the ability to keep the spine of his squad together,” the journalist added, which will be good news to Leeds fans.
Plenty of players will be targeted by bigger clubs even if Leeds do get promoted. The Championship’s Player of the Season is the obvious one, with Liverpool said to be scouting Crysencio Summerville.
Which players could leave Leeds if club aren’t promoted?
Illan Meslier, Pascal Struijk, Georginio Rutter, Willy Gnonto and Summerville all attracted interest last summer and that interest will surely be reignited this summer if the club fail to secure promotion.
A permanent deal for Joe Rodon would also come under the microscope. But it may see Leeds hand contracts out to Sam Byram, Jamie Shackleton and Liam Cooper – who all see their deals end in June.
Leeds are obviously not down and out even if they do not get second with third place seeing The Whites take on whoever finishes in sixth position. At the moment, that would be Carlos Corberan’s West Brom.