Leeds United’s squad is facing a potential overhaul this summer.
Having been beaten 1-0 in the play-off final by Southampton on Sunday, Leeds will now be putting the plans in place for another season of Championship football.
Paraag Marathe has promised there will be money to spend for Daniel Farke in the transfer window, but that is likely to come at the cost of some key players leaving.
BBC journalist Rory Smith has already touted Crysencio Summerville, Willy Gnonto, Archie Gray and Georginio Rutter for the exit door, but there could be others too.
There is also the decision of what to do with all the returning loanees, whether that be the more experienced ones who left after relegation last year, or the youngsters who have been in the EFL.
Here at LeedsUnited.News we have predicted the future of all 36 first team players currently contracted to the club.
Illan Meslier
Meslier had looked likely to depart this time 12 months ago but ended up staying due to a lack of concrete offers.
Though he enjoyed a better season in the Championship, neither his distribution or command of area fill you with a great deal of confidence. Bought for £5 million in 2021, any sort of profit would be good this summer. Sell.
Karl Darlow
Darlow arrived at Elland Road from Newcastle United last summer with the hope of becoming a number one, but that did not materialise.
He played just two league matches, but providing he is not desperate to leave, should be kept as a decent experienced back-up. Keep.
Kristoffer Klaesson
Having joined three years ago, Klaesson was finally given a full league debut by Farke in January due to Meslier’s red card at Preston North End.
However, with just four senior appearances in three years for Leeds at the age of 23, it is the right time for him to go and play regularly. Sell.
Connor Roberts
Having joined on loan from Burnley on deadline day, Roberts did drop a couple of hints that he would like to stay at Leeds permanently.
Following Burnley’s relegation and just two league starts for Leeds, though, the writing is already on the wall for his future at Elland Road. Return to parent club.
Sam Byram
Byram is the first player on this list whose contract is expiring next month, having joined on a one-year-deal last summer.
Given his fitness issues, whether he gets an extension really could go either way. Perhaps as a third choice on either side, he could still do a job. Keep.
Cody Drameh
Drameh spent the season on loan at Birmingham City but after their relegation to League One it does not look like they will be signing him permanently.
However, there certainly is no way back for him at Leeds and he is set to leave on a free transfer this summer. Release.
Jamie Shackleton
After returning from a loan spell at Millwall, Shackleton forced his way back into Farke’s plans during last summer and the first two months of the season.
However, Shackleton just could not get himself fit in the second half of the campaign and should not be handed a new contract. Release.
Rasmus Kristensen
Kristensen was one of the first team players to make use of the loan clause inserted into his contract that became active after relegation.
The Danish international endured a less than impressive season at Roma, though, and does not look like he will be signing there permanently. Not welcome back at Leeds, sell.
Joe Rodon
Leeds will be desperate to sign Rodon permanently this summer after such a stellar season on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.
However, with Premier League interest and an asking price that may be out of Leeds’ reach in the Championship, it is far from certain he will. In an ideal world, though, definitely sign.
Charlie Cresswell
Cresswell played just eight minutes of league football from the month of August onwards and at 21, it has been such a wasted season for his development.
He simply cannot afford another year of such limited game time and given he would represent pure profit towards PSR if sold, an exit is best for all parties. Sell.
Diego Llorente
There have been conflicting reports over whether Roma’s loan deal for Llorente will become permanent this summer.
Either way, he enjoyed a solid season in the Italian capital and so even if he does not end up there, the Spaniard is likely to have done enough to earn a move elsewhere, all be it for a significant loss. Sell.
Pascal Struijk
Having been handed the armband for several matches with Liam Cooper on the bench, Struijk had been enjoying such a good season until his injury on Boxing Day.
Unfortunately, that is the last time he kicked a football. In a strange sort of way, that might actually stand Leeds in good stead to keep him, though. Build the spine around him and keep.
Liam Cooper
After a brilliant 10-year spell at Elland Road, Cooper has now all but certainly played his last game for Leeds.
Cooper had to take on more of a bit-part role this season and at 32, this may be his last chance to go and play regular football somewhere. Release.
Max Wober
Arguably the most sour of all the loan exits last summer, Wober made the move to Borussia Monchengladbach, where he enjoyed a strong individual season.
Unfortunately for him, it does not look like Gladbach have the funds to be able to sign him permanently. Hopefully there is interest elsewhere. Sell.
Junior Firpo
Having overcome a string of injury issues during the first half of the season, Firpo made that left-back spot his own from January onwards.
He registered an impressive eight assists and enjoyed his best run of form in a Leeds shirt. However, it is uncertain whether he will want another season at this level, and has just one year left on his deal. Sell.
Ethan Ampadu
Ampadu has finally found himself a permanent home at Leeds after a string of loan spells away from Chelsea over the last few years.
His performances at Elland Road could attract interest from the Premier League, but Leeds need to withstand any interest, get him back in midfield and hand him the armband permanently. Keep.
Archie Gray
Gray is arguably Leeds’ most sellable asset with several of Europe’s elite clubs including Bayern Munich already keeping an eye on him.
Marathe seemed less than certain when asked if Gray was someone they would keep this summer, but ties to the club can hopefully play in Leeds’ favour. A difficult one, but keep.
Ilia Gruev
After a difficult start to his Leeds career, Gruev firmly established himself as a key player from January onwards once he was finally handed an opportunity.
With Ampadu moving back into midfield, he may find starts slightly harder to come by next season, but nevertheless, is great depth at this level. Keep.
Glen Kamara
Though Kamara’s complete reluctance to ever shoot played a major role in Leeds’ failure to score a single goal from midfield in the regular season, he still enjoyed a strong debut year at Elland Road.
When at his best, he is a top player in this division and unless a surprise offer arises that sees Leeds make a significant profit, he should stay. Keep.
Marc Roca
Real Betis have been looking at ways they can keep Roca all season having enjoyed a really strong loan spell back in his loan country.
Leeds losing the play-off final actually looks as though it has helped them with their hopes of keeping him, with another loan move reportedly on the cards. Loan.
Lewis Bate
Bate spent the second half of the season on loan at MK Dons, but after failing to help them win promotion, will not be signing there permanently.
However, it does not look like his long-term future will be at Leeds with his contract set to expire and no sign of a new one. Release.
Darko Gyabi
This time last year, Gyabi was being tipped for a regular role in Leeds’ first team. That did not materialise, though, and he ended up joining Plymouth Argyle on loan in January.
Just as he was hitting his stride, Gyabi then picked up an injury that went onto rule him out for the rest of the season, but the potential is still there. Loan.
Sam Greenwood
Despite an option-to-buy of just £1.5 million being agreed, Middlesbrough have opted against making Greenwood’s loan move permanent.
It does look as though he is surplus to requirements at Leeds anyway and perhaps a lower end Championship/higher League One side will come in for him, which seems his level. Sell.
Brenden Aaronson
After a nightmare start to his loan spell at Union Berlin, Aaronson somewhat recovered it towards the end, but not enough to earn him a permanent switch.
Unlike with Roca, it does not look as though Aaronson has the option to leave on loan again, but any permanent sale looks set to be for a significant loss. Get him off the books, sell.
Jack Harrison
On the contrary to Aaronson, Harrison is the one other of Leeds’ returning loanees who does have the option to leave on loan again.
Everton appear as though they are going to try take advantage of that, but hopefully there will be other Premier League sides who come and take an interest. Likely a loan, but a sale would be nice.
Dan James
Bought for £25 million back in 2021, there is little-to-no chance of anyone coming in and paying that, despite the best individual season of his career.
He scored 13 goals and provided seven assists during the regular season, and should be another good option for Leeds to go again in August. Keep.
Willy Gnonto
After his failure to push through an exit last summer, Gnonto returned to the fold and knuckled down again at Leeds, with an excellent second half of the season.
However, the writing looks as though it is on the wall this summer and Leeds should be able to make a very decent profit on the £3.8 million they paid. Sell.
Ian Poveda
Despite some highly promising pre-season showings last summer, Poveda was never really given a chance by Farke and so was loaned out to Sheffield Wednesday.
He made a big impression at the Owls and with his contract expiring at Leeds, they are keen to bring him back. Release.
Georginio Rutter
Rutter is in a similar position to James in that who is going to come in and pay anywhere near the club record amount Leeds did 18 months ago.
But that can only be good news for Leeds, though, as his return of six goals and 15 assists in the regular season showed he’s a brilliant player at this level. A full summer to overcome his hernia issue should see him ready to go again. Keep.
Sonny Perkins
The 2023/24 season really could not have gone any worse for Perkins, after a dismal loan spell at Oxford United that then saw him recalled in January.
However, after coming on for Leeds in the first game of the season, he was then unable to earn a move elsewhere, and was stuck in the U21s. A year left on his deal, sell.
Joe Gelhardt
Gelhardt was one of the players where relegation looked as though it could benefit him and his first team hopes at Leeds.
Unfortunately, with his last league start coming all the way back in August, his career just seems to have come to a standstill. Let him go play regularly somewhere.
Jaidon Anthony
Anthony made the move on loan to Leeds as part of the deal that took Sinisterra to Bournemouth on deadline day last summer.
It was always a move that felt rushed and that is the way it turned out to be, as he was handed just two league starts all season. Andoni Iraola has already confirmed he will return to the Cherries.
Crysencio Summerville
Having been crowned the Championship’s POTS last month, Summerville is the one player where all the signs are pointing towards one thing – an exit.
Liverpool and Chelsea are already among the clubs who are circling the 22-year-old, with Leeds reportedly holding out for £30 million. That would be good business. Sell.
Joel Piroe
Piroe was Leeds’ headline arrival of the summer in 2023 as he put pen-to-paper on a £10.5 million deal to join from Swansea City.
Despite a solid return of 14 goals, Piroe just hasn’t ever felt like he’s fit the system under Farke but it is hard to see anyone paying what Leeds did in August. Keep.
Patrick Bamford
Though Leeds actually won 11 of the 15 matches he started last season, it was another season of injury issues for Bamford and enough is enough now.
For the third consecutive season, Bamford has been unavailable for the business end of the season and as one of Leeds’ highest earners, he needs moving off the books, which could reportedly happen. Sell.
Mateo Joseph
Joseph can consider himself mightily unlucky that he wasn’t handed a single league start under Farke this season, considering his performance at Chelsea and impacts off the bench.
However, he should certainly be handed a more prominent first team role come August with all the potential there for a top Championship striker. Keep.