Leeds United’s summer transfer window is going to be dictated by what happens in Sunday’s play-off final against Southampton.
Having both missed out on automatic promotion during the final few weeks of the season, the two sides now have one last chance to seal an immediate return to the Premier League.
In what is dubbed football’s richest game, Leeds and the Saints will go head-to-head at Wembley with the prize for either side a return to the pinnacle of English football.
Both clubs were relegated alongside one another this time 12 months ago, and therefore the desire to be promoted will be even higher than usual.
For whoever loses, they know their parachute payments are cut from 55 per cent to 45 per cent ahead of a second season back in the Championship.
This effectively places more pressure on those behind-the-scenes to sell key players in order to comply with PSR regulations, which are tighter in the EFL. It is said Leeds will need to raise £100 million in the summer if they don’t go up.
Leeds January target Manuel Benson expected to leave Burnley
A return to the Premier League would see Leeds shopping in a completely different market to what they have done in the last two windows, as well as the upcoming one if they were to stay down.
In January, Leeds made just one new signing as Connor Roberts joined on loan from Burnley. He is also set to return to Turf Moor after Sunday’s final, with no permanent deal in place.
Leeds did try to make other additions but having spent big on the likes of Joel Piroe and Ethan Ampadu last summer, they were restricted to loan deals, which Angus Kinnear said would be the case as early as September.
Manuel Benson was one of the players Leeds looked at during the winter due to his limited game time at Burnley, but he opted to snub a move to Elland Road.
That is a decision which ultimately backfired as he played just a handful of minutes in the second half of the season as Burnley went down with a whimper.
And now according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, who was speaking on the latest episode of the ‘From The Bee Hole End Podcast‘, Benson is set to leave Burnley this summer.
Having proved to be an excellent asset in the Championship during Burnley’s promotion campaign of 2022/23, it would not have been a surprise if he was someone they were looking to keep. However, that does not look to be the case.
Tavolieri said: “A lot of players will go out. I saw a question on the chat about what’s going on with Manuel Benson and he is going to leave this summer. This is not a surprise to anyone.”
Leeds should target Benson if they lose to Southampton
Defeat to Southampton on Sunday would consign Leeds to another season of Championship football.
49ers Enterprises have already acknowledged key players will have to be sold if Leeds do stay down, and among those who could depart include Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto.
That would leave Leeds very much on the lookout for a couple of wingers who can somehow replace the level of output they have brought this season.
Benson scored 11 goals during Burnley’s promotion campaign and is therefore someone who would fit the bill, and perhaps not cost too much.