HIGHLIGHTS
- Farke must make tough judgments on great players and those returning from loan.
- The complicated summer 2023 loan exits may have an impact on the future of the Leeds United side.
- It is unclear whether Aaronson, Kristensen, or Wober will play in the Whites’ 2024/25 season.
Daniel Farke has a lot to deal with between now and the end of the summer transfer window.
Not only does he need to try to keep his key players at Leeds United, if that’s feasible, but he also needs to figure out the future of certain players who left on loan last season.
Several players left temporarily last summer, and it’s uncertain whether any of these first-teamers will be involved in Farke’s plans for the 2024/25 season, and possibly beyond.
Some players’ fates have already been decided, with Jack Harrison returning to Everton on loan for another season, Sam Greenwood moving to Preston North End, and Sonny Perkins joining Leyton Orient on loan.
Others have departed the club permanently, including Luke Ayling, Diego Llorente, Robin Koch, Marc Roca, and Luis Sinisterra. Llorente, Roca, and Sinisterra were all sold for fees.
This has helped the club produce a significant amount of income, and they may be set for another windfall shortly, as Cody Drameh is yet to sign a new contract.
However, if he joins another team, the Whites may be able to seek compensation.
Leeds United fans may be disappointed with the news regarding Rasmus Kristensen and Max Wober.
While Brenden Aaronson is anticipated to play next season, it’s uncertain if Kristensen and Wober will remain at the club when the summer transfer market closes.
According to Leeds Live, both players have three years remaining on their contracts, and neither has terms in their contracts that allow them to arrange loan exits without Leeds’ approval.
According to the same source, the duo told Farke last summer that they were willing to stay and help the Whites return to the Premier League at the first opportunity.
However, they elected to move out on loan, with Kristensen to AS Roma and Wober to Borussia Monchengladbach, which upset Farke.
If this is the case, it would not be surprising if both are left out of the Whites’ first-team squad for the 2024/25 season, though Farke has dealt with difficult situations at Elland Road previously, with Willy Gnonto recovering from last year’s transfer scandal.
Both are set to return to Leeds for a portion of pre-season, but neither the Whites’ boss nor the Leeds crowd are likely to welcome them back.
Leeds fans will only want players who want to play at Elland Road to wear the shirt next season, as the club seeks to overcome May’s play-off final heartbreak and return to the top division.
With this in mind, they may be unhappy to see two players who left on loan last summer return.
How Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen, and Max Wober could fit in with Leeds United next season
Aaronson, Kristensen, and Wober might all be considered for inclusion in the Whites’ squad.
Aaronson may not start, but with Joel Piroe likely to play mostly as a striker next season, having the US international as an attacking midfield alternative would be excellent.
He might help add extra firepower to a team that already appears lethal in the final third.
There is obviously a place at right-back for Kristensen if Leeds want to keep him, with Ayling and Gray leaving, Connor Roberts’ loan expiring, and Drameh still to sign a new contract.
Kristensen is undoubtedly a talented player, but it remains to be seen whether he will stay at Elland Road.
His experience at Roma may have helped him become an even greater player.
Wober may not be as needed as Kristiensen right now, but he might still be a very valuable alternative in the centre-back position.
With Charlie Cresswell, Koch, and Llorente all leaving, Liam Cooper allegedly likely to follow, and Ethan Ampadu perhaps returning to a midfield role next season, having another centre-back option would be excellent.
A Rodon-Wober pairing would be powerful at this level, but whether fans want to see the Austrian and Kristensen return to play a role is unclear.
