The departure of Archie Gray earlier this month was a difficult pill to chew for Leeds United fans.
The club even called his departure as ‘heart-breaking’ in their official statement announcing his move to Tottenham Hotspur, but there could be more to come.
When news came that Gray was close to joining Brentford, Leeds fans went into a frenzy on social media. Though it eased slightly when it was revealed that he would be joining the Spurs, it has undoubtedly placed the 49ers on the back foot for the remainder of the window.
The dearth of incoming action subsequently has provided little solace, despite the fact that both Daniel Farke and Paraag Marathe stated they would be in a better position to start the window quickly than they were a year ago.
In reality, while Gray’s sales have alleviated Leeds’ PSR problems, the biggest speculation has been about which of their other key players may leave.
Graeme Bailey predicts ‘pain to come’ for Leeds this summer.
Glen Kamara became the latest first-team player to go on Tuesday, when confirmation of his transfer to Rennes emerged.
Until a fee was agreed last weekend, Leeds’ position was that they wanted to keep Kamara. Given the subsequent circumstances, one wonders who else might have gone.
Junior Firpo, Wilfried Gnonto, and Crysencio Summerville have all been linked with top-flight moves, which they will find difficult to ignore for the second consecutive summer, despite the fact that they all played in Friday’s friendly triumph against Harrogate Town.
While Leeds have stressed that any departures will be on their terms, Graeme Bailey has exclusively told LeedsUnited.News that more ‘pain’ is to come over who may go.
He stated, “Clearly, there are challenges with getting money in. Everton is said to be considering making Harrison permanent this summer in order to open up loan spaces for Kalvin Phillips and Armando Broja. However, this will have little impact on Leeds.
“Leeds still have a very quality squad, but there will be some pain associated with departures. They will still be in a good position and have a solid group heading into the season, but they will lose a few more players than fans expected.”
What is the current scenario with Firpo, Gnonto, and Summerville?
Firpo appears to be the closest to leaving, having reportedly accepted personal terms with Real Betis on a potential transfer.
Having said that, his Instagram message to Mateo Joseph after they teamed up for Leeds’ opener on Friday night could be a sign that he is staying.
Gnonto, meanwhile, is thought to be interested in joining Everton for the second summer in a row, following the Toffees’ renewed interest earlier this week.
Summerville continues to generate interest from clubs across Europe, but no firm proposals have yet been received.
