The first concrete transfer link since Leeds United were confirmed to be a Championship club again next season arrived earlier today.
Leeds were beaten 1-0 by Southampton in the play-off final on Sunday, meaning for the second consecutive season, they will be without Premier League football.
Despite the disappointment of Wembley, it has actually been a positive week at Leeds with chairman Paraag Marathe having come out and made his intentions clear for the season ahead.
Not only has he come out and clarified the situation regarding the returning loanees, but he also confirmed that money will be available to spend for Daniel Farke.
All the talk had previously been around who might leave and the £190 million owed in unpaid transfer instalments, but Marathe’s interview and the lucrative sponsorship with Red Bull has turned the tide.
Redknapp was left blown away by Leeds target Alfie Gilchrist this season
Though it is inevitable some key players will leave this summer, Leeds are confident of putting together a side capable of another promotion push.
Providing Marathe’s comments are accurate, Leeds look set to make some big permanent signings at this level, but that does not mean they will be excluding the loan market.
Leeds brought in four players on loan from Premier League sides across last summer and January, but it would be fair to say only Joe Rodon was a real success. They will need to improve in that regard.
And the first player who has been linked with making a season-long-loan switch when the window opens on June 14 is Chelsea defender Alfie Gilchrist.
Gilchrist made his breakthrough at Stamford Bridge last season as he made 15 first team appearances across all competitions, one of which came from the start against Leeds in the FA Cup.
Perhaps his best individual display, though, came at the beginning of this month, as he played 85 minutes of Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Tottenham at right-back, marking the likes of Heung-Min Son and Brennan Johnson. His performance drew big praise from Jamie Redknapp on Sky Sports.
After the game, he said: “Excellent. I thought he was fantastic. Not easy playing against Son and then he got Brennan Johnson, he got taken off. I thought he was excellent, it just shows you have to give young players an opportunity. Just give them a chance sometimes, that’s all they need.”
Gilchrist could offer Leeds’ backline versatility
Leeds are in need of reinforcements all across the back four this summer. At right-back, Connor Roberts has returned to Burnley, Sam Byram is out of contract, and Archie Gray is wanted by many clubs.
In central defence, it is unclear whether Joe Rodon will join permanently, or if Charlie Cresswell will stay amid his lack of game time. Liam Cooper also looks set to leave on a free.
By signing someone like Gilchrist, Leeds would be bringing in a player who can play both on the right-side, and centre of defence.
It is the former where he has made the majority of his senior appearances, but the latter where he played at youth level. Either way, he is the sort of player who could kill two birds with one stone.