Leeds United and their priorities ahead of the 2024-25 season - Leon Wobschall - video Dailymotion

Yorkshire Post

YP football writer Leon Wobschall gives his take on the priorities for Leeds United before they return to action in the 2024-25 Championship season ...

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00:00 What needs to happen at Eller Road in order to get them ready to be a competitive entity

00:11 again come the new season?

00:13 I think there's certain things that need to be done, Phil, but I think when you're looking

00:18 into it, the biggest thing that would sort of help Leeds to sort of go all the way next

00:22 year is keeping hold of Archie Gray.

00:25 I mean, he was one of those generational talents that seems to come around every so often.

00:33 He was named as a Championships Young Player of the Year and he's had a remarkable season

00:37 and plays with a real maturity and such an outstanding talent.

00:44 And even though he's a young lad, he could be a real talisman for Leeds if they could

00:48 manage to keep him.

00:51 Last season you could see the pain and the upset on the pitch, he really felt it.

00:56 Leeds is his club and I think he'll certainly be not be short of motivation and drive to

01:03 hopefully go all the way with Leeds next season and being a leader in doing so.

01:08 So if he can do that, that's a massive tick in the box for me.

01:11 They're bound to have interest, but there needs to be a real strong desire from Leeds

01:17 to keep hold of young Gray and build the team around him.

01:21 I think it's fair to say they will have to cut the cloth.

01:25 They still owe quite a bit in outstanding payments for players.

01:29 I think it's something like 78, 79 million.

01:33 So they're going to have to look into some of the certain players.

01:36 I think Sir Christian Somerville, he's got two years left on his contract, so the clock's

01:43 ticking.

01:44 You could see Leeds having to cash in on him and him maybe being sold.

01:51 Willy Gonto as well.

01:52 I mean, both players coincidentally came off, didn't they, in the second half at Wembley?

01:57 They didn't have the best of days and they couldn't show the form that they've shown

02:02 in the regular season.

02:04 He agitated for a move, didn't he, last summer?

02:07 You could see him leaving as well.

02:09 So that would lead to Leeds would have to bring in some new options in the attack in

02:17 third.

02:18 I thought they actually missed Pantry Bamford on the day, Phil, as well.

02:21 That sort of presence up front.

02:26 Joe Roden as well.

02:27 He's had a fine season.

02:28 He's gone back to Spurs.

02:29 I mean, he thinks Spurs will want to cash in on him.

02:34 So there's key strategic decisions that Leeds need to make.

02:40 But I don't think the upheaval will be anything like it was last summer.

02:45 You sort of looked at the mess that Leeds were in and the relegation clauses in players'

02:51 contracts, this and that.

02:53 Even though it's really painful to see what happened at the end for Leeds, you've still

02:58 got to sort of remember that they didn't get 90 points.

03:02 They've travelled a fair way with Daniel Farker and obviously the mission next year is to

03:08 go all the way.

03:10 It's the second season of parachute payments.

03:12 I don't think Leeds will be able to spend millions and millions and millions, but I

03:17 think the sort of natural cachet of the club, they should be able to still attract players

03:22 and certainly good quality players at this level for decent fees that they can afford

03:28 and loan players as well.

03:30 So they've got some key business to do.

03:33 [END]

Leeds United and their priorities ahead of the 2024-25 season - Leon Wobschall

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