Leeds United have a number of players set to return from loan spells this summer.
Of the eight senior members of last season’s first team squad, only Luis Sinisterra and Robin Koch have managed to seal permanent exits so far.
Having said that, Leeds are confident Jack Harrison, Marc Roca, Max Wober and Diego Llorente have all done enough to be sold, leaving only Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen with uncertain futures.
Elsewhere, meanwhile, Sam Greenwood looks set to report back for pre-season at Leeds after Middlesbrough opted against triggering the £1.5 million option-to-buy.
Ian Poveda, Cody Drameh, Luke Ayling and Lewis Bate, meanwhile, have all also been away on loan, but are out of contract at Elland Road next month.
Why Leeds’ Lewis Bate has apologised to MK Dons after loan spell
That aforementioned quartet have all seemingly played their final games for Leeds, with none of them having done enough to force their way back into the club’s plans.
They shouldn’t find it too difficult to find another club, though, with Ayling wanted permanently at Boro, and a number of sides including Sheffield Wednesday keen on Poveda.
Birmingham City’s relegation could hinder their first refusal on Drameh, while Bate is the only one who perhaps faces the most uncertain future of the four.
Bate spent the second half of the season on loan at MK Dons and had been hoping to help them return to League One. However, an embarrassing 8-1 play-off semi-final defeat on aggregate to Crawley Town ended that.
An immediate return to the third tier could’ve helped MK sign Bate permanently, but in a parting message on Twitter, he has effectively confirmed he won’t be going back.
The £1.5 million ace also felt obliged to apologise to MK supporters for the way their season ended, with such margin of defeat rarely seen in play-off football.
He wrote: “Thank you to the players and staff @MKDonsFC for the first past few months, also to the fans for welcoming me in from day one. I apologise for how the play-offs went for the team but I’m sure the club will bounce back soon.”
Bate will surely find League One club once Leeds exit confirmed
Despite still being young and clearly talented, the expectation is very much that Bate will be leaving Elland Road on a free transfer this summer.
It was a shock to some supporters that he had to drop all the way down to League Two in January just to play regular football, but even after the way it ended at MK, he shouldn’t have that same problem this summer.
Bate has already proven in a loan spell at Oxford United he is more than good enough for League One, and that is certainly the league he should be targeting a move once his Leeds exit is sealed.
