Leeds United’s squad could be in for somewhat of an overhaul this summer.
The Whites‘ failure to beat Southampton in the play-off final on Sunday means they will now be play Championship football for a second successive season, and miss out on the riches of the Premier League.
Though the season is barely over 48 hours old, there have not been a shortage of reports regarding who might be leaving Elland Road this summer.
BBC journalist Rory Smith has touted Crysencio Summerville, Willy Gnonto, Archie Gray and Georginio Rutter as four who could be difficult to keep hold off, while Leeds will also want to shift some of the returning loanees.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire says Leeds fans don’t have to worry too much about the summer ahead, though £73 million of the £190 million in unpaid transfer instalments will need paying before June 30.
Some sales will be needed to offset that, though Leeds have already got to work in doing so by allowing Tyler Adams and Luis Sinisterra to leave in this current financial year.
Leeds should allow Charlie Cresswell to leave, would suit all parties
As mentioned, plenty of Leeds’ star men are bound to attract interest this summer, but there are also some fringe players who could be moved on.
Daniel Farke had a decent sized squad last season but it would be fair to say a handful of players perhaps did not receive the opportunities they deserved.
Charlie Cresswell is one who falls under that category, playing just eight minutes of league football in Leeds’ last 44 matches of the season.
Though Joe Rodon was very much ahead of him all season for that right-sided centre-back spot, there were times when he could’ve been given a chance in the absence of Pascal Struijk.
At 21, Cresswell cannot afford another season with such limited game time and so it would make sense for all parties if he was to leave.
Leeds rejected a number of bids for Cresswell in January with a reported asking price of around £5 million, and if they can get somewhere close to that, it would be good business.
Cresswell progressed through the ranks of the academy at Thorp Arch and so if he was to be sold, he would represent pure profit towards PSR, which always helps in the Championship.
Leeds should target Cedric Kipre as a replacement
Given the role Cresswell had last season, it would not cost too much to replace him and so the free agent market could be where they find one.
West Brom’s Cedric Kipre is among the players who are out of contract this summer, and would bring a wealth of experience to Leeds’ squad, which Cresswell did not.
Kipre made 44 appearances in the regular season for West Brom as part of a defence which conceded the third fewest in the division.
That is the sort of business which just makes a whole lot of sense for Leeds as they look to stay within the limits of PSR.