Daniel Farke could be about to lose the first member from his squad at Leeds United last season.
The likes of Lewis Bate, Luke Ayling and Ian Poveda have all been released but were already out on loan from January onwards anyway, and knew they would not be returning.
It has been a slow start to the window at Elland Road both in terms of incomings and outgoings, despite the fact it has now been open for over two weeks.
The two major international tournaments have undoubtedly slowed it down, but with Leeds returning to pre-season next week, you would expect things to start picking up.
Jack Harrison and Marc Roca both sealed their exits earlier this week, though those were expected anyway and came as little surprise to no one.
Graham Smyth shares interesting Jamie Shackleton future update
Leeds actually released their retained list a number of weeks ago now with Sam Byram’s one-year extension the big news coming out.
Despite the length of time it has been since then, Leeds still have three players who have unsigned contracts on the table in Liam Cooper, Jamie Shackleton and Cody Drameh.
Cooper’s future still remains very much up in the air, while Drameh is still expected to leave, with Leeds offering new terms to ensure they receive compensation when he joins a new club.
According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, though, there is one of that trio who is now edging closer to the exit door in Shackleton.
It is said Shackleton is now ‘close to an agreement’ to join a new club this summer, though the actual identity of that remains unclear.
Sheffield United have been the rumoured destination throughout the week, though the report does hint his destination may not be the Blades amid their ongoing takeover talks.
However, it would certainly seem that the ‘fantastic‘ Shackleton is closer to leaving Elland Road than staying, which would bring to an end his long association with his boyhood club.
Shackleton deserves to find a club and play regularly
Shackleton had an impressive start to the season at Leeds under Farke which is why he is keen to keep him, but at 24, he is now at the age where he needs to go and play.
His last league start at Leeds came all the way back in October during a 4-1 win over Huddersfield Town, and surely he can’t be happy with this fringe role he has right now.
He struggled massively with injuries during the second half of the campaign and that could well be because of how little match action he was seeing.
Despite both of those things, though, he never kicked up a fuss and always worked hard whenever he got his opportunity. Hopefully he can find a place he can really get his career kick started.