Good Morning. It's Tuesday 17th December, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Struijk exit mooted with Spurs leading the wayLeeds skipper Pascal Struijk has become a top January target for a trio of Premier League clubs, with Tottenham Hotspur leading the way. Long term injury concerns to Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies have prompted the North London outfit to scour the market in search of a capable left-sided centre back with great potential - someone who isn't going to break the bank!
Entertaining any kind of offer in January would be ludicrous, and would surely destroy any hopes Leeds have of automatic promotion given the thread-bare cover they have in reserve. Fellow top flight outfits Brighton and Wolves have also thrown that hats into the ring, causing confusion among Leeds fans!
Transfer speculation is always rife this time of year, leading up to a transfer window, though it seems odd that a host of clubs suddenly be fighting over a player is isn't actually available? Victor Orta is good friends with Tim Vrouwe, Struijk's agent (Forza Sports Group). When he renewed his contract almost two year to the day (December 21st 2022), perhaps he inserted one of his get out clauses?
Uncertainty surrounds James' futureUncertainty surrounds the future of Welsh Wizard Dan James, as he reaches the final 18 months of his Leeds Utd contract. James, 27 last month, has become a crucial part of Farke's set-up offering both goals and assists. His pace, skill, and relentless work ethic have been on full display since first joining from the red side of Manchester during the Summer of 2021.
His Elland Road career started slowly, prompting Jesse Marsch to loan him out to Fulham where he made 23 appearances. Upon relegation to the Championship, James found his feet. It would be unfair to say this was solely down to dropping a division; his early performances for Manchester Utd proves his capabilities at the highest level, when on-form.
Whilst much will depend on what division Leeds are in next season, the club must protect their assets! When the Summer transfer window opens, he'll have just 12 months left on his contract, which will severely damage his price tag. Whether Leeds decide to sell him or not is immaterial - they're only going to recoup £5m - £7m unless he signs a new deal; and that's before we talk about the sell-on clause Manchester Utd have! Sources close to the club suggest the club have not approached James yet - aren't they leaving it too late?
Is Meslier 'liability' status warrantedThe ongoing scrutiny faced by Illan Meslier continuous to spark debate among Leeds fans, after failing to keep Brad Pott's somewhat tame effort out at the weekend!
The £10m rated keeper, a £5m purchase from Lorient in 2020 (after a successful loan) has made 182 appearances for the Whites, during which he has shown flashes of brilliance, with key saves that have kept Leeds in countless matches. The spotlight will amplify mistakes, especially when you're the last line of defence, and as we know - the Elland Road faithful can be very unforgiving!
Occasional errors, along with poor distribution have attracted unwanted attention, labelling him as a liability, yet with 11 out of 21 clean sheets this season, he rates as the third best keeper in the Championship behind James Trafford (Burnley - 11 clean sheets) and Michael Cooper (Sheffield Utd - 13 clean sheets). Is the criticism of Meslier warranted? Would a new shot-stopper be in your top three Christmas wish list?
