Leeds banter 7

29 May 2026 06:31:03
Proper gentleman, who gets Leeds, and his responsibilities beyond the pitch at a club like ours.

🤍 Ilia Gruev has been named our PFA Community Champion for the 2025/26 season, recognising his incredible commitment to community projects and initiatives.

29 May 2026 07:58:02
Good on him. Well done, buddy.

29 May 2026 08:33:18
Well done that man!

29 May 2026 11:59:36
For me, if he is willing to accept a backup role, keep him and sell Tanaka. Not that Tanaka is a bad egg at all, just Gruev is such a good egg, and obviously not a bad footballer.

Of course, there needs to be a baseline level of quality, but once that's achieved, arguably character is just as important.

You can see when players like Ramazani or Buononotte don't make it in.

If he says, look, I really need to be playing more than I'm getting, then we'd have to sell him. You can't begrudge him the desire to play more.

29 May 2026 13:31:21
He is better than Tanaka imo. I'd sell Tanaka everyday over him.

29 May 2026 21:41:11
Personally I prefer Tanaka, but both of them are fairly similar in that they keep things neat and tidy in midfield, break down attacks, and retrieve the ball, but don't offer much in attacking areas in terms of goals or assists.


However, I think Tanaka would have a much higher selling value, and, as he only cost a touch over £3m, would probably enhance our financial position more positively.

28 May 2026 13:48:11
Ramazani's behaviour and attitude off the field, added to him ignoring tactical direction in his last appearance, seems to have ended Valencia's interest in signing him.
Problem player?

28 May 2026 14:54:14
Sell him to Chelski - with that attitude he should fit in there just fine.

28 May 2026 14:54:18
Any specifics re said behaviour and attitude off-field?

I liked his on-field play in 24/25 season at Leeds. Quite a talented player.

28 May 2026 16:14:02
Don't think he was willing to follow team instructions and track back, so he got the verbals from senior players. He then upset them the next day with posts on social media, when he was out golfing. It was his day off, but it didn't go down well. I think he's been quite vocal on social media recently.

28 May 2026 17:47:28
Contract should be terminated, no more wages. There must be some grounds to do that.

28 May 2026 18:20:12
Why would Leeds terminate his contract and lose millions?

29 May 2026 03:51:20
Happy to have Large back as an off the bench option. Could sell Gnonto and James then. Get some coin. Keep Okafor and Large.

29 May 2026 08:31:34
I'd read it was something to do with his Instagram.
I follow Largie and there's nothing on his Instagram that's remotely offensive or anything controversial.

Personally, I think it's just made up so Valencia have an excuse to not sign him or try to get him cheaper.


He's been good for them this season, and when I've seen videos put out by the club, he always looks like he gets on with others and fits in.

29 May 2026 10:33:07
His home in Spain was burgled a week ago, so that's maybe stressing him out as well.

29 May 2026 11:32:49
Interesting info, Dune. That would definitely stress him out.

And, what Dave said.

For me, this story whiffs a tad of bs by Valencia.

29 May 2026 16:51:52
It was Marca reporting it, supposedly with input from senior players too.

29 May 2026 20:03:59
Corkey, it will cost us anyway. Who will buy him or the other numb Jack Harrison? We are still paying them.

29 May 2026 20:50:01
Fair point on Harrison, mate, but Rama will have clubs queuing up for him, I believe.

30 May 2026 08:30:56
Norwich want Rama.

30 May 2026 08:45:04
And Birmingham linked and they're not afraid of spending a bit of money.

28 May 2026 07:39:12
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Matchday 38 - Quick Round Up

28 May 2026 04:19:59
If reports are correct it seems like Harvey is set on joining us. Should be a day 1 deal. Possibly heavy on the add ons given recent form.

28 May 2026 08:08:32
Elliot does have talent, but does he have enough talent to give us more edge in midfield and attack?
It worries me that Emery didn't fancy him, and to spend 30+ Mil is a lot for a club like Leeds.


The only thing I can think of that might be a deciding factor is that he is versatile and can cover other positions if needed, in a small squad, it's always very useful.

28 May 2026 08:14:13
Not sure if he is better than what we have, but rumoured 25 is enough, although I'd be keen on 20 plus add ons. Think he needs to feel at home and wanted, so loan no good. Did Emery just not fancy him or what?

{Ed001's Note - he was brought in by Monchi against Emery's wishes. Emery wanted pace.}

28 May 2026 08:14:51
Agree, OP, it's a lot of money on someone who fell out of favour last year.

Fingers crossed that if he does come, he can find his mojo again because when he's playing well, he is a very good player.

28 May 2026 10:00:13
Surely he's a better fit than Baracus, and has had Klopp coaching under his belt. Every name is always going to throw up debate.

But I feel that Villa aren't too needy on that position, hence if Harvey played 1 more game, then his transfer was automatically triggered.



So, in light of cash restrictions, maybe it was a more balanced decision not to splash the cash for that position.

Maybe?

28 May 2026 10:13:31
Never stood a chance based upon Buendia's exceptional run of form, no wonder Farkey loves him some talent.

Eliot's situation may change if Liverpool ditch Slot. The player is going to be keen to stay at Pool, you would think, and any new coach may want to assess him first to see if he fits their style of play.

28 May 2026 10:39:41
Think Elliot is class - had an excellent summer for U21s last Yr (he was still eligible then) . Was very unlucky with Villa.

I think he could be the 10 or wide playmaker that Farke prefers. He doesn't seem to love traditional wingers.

As always, it has to be the right price and £20m with survival clauses and performance escalators about right.

A lack of recent football actually is almost a bonus - if he can stay fit (a caveat for any footballer) , he won't be suffering from physical burnout like so many right now, and post World Cup even more will be, and will be raring to prove himself.



Finally, in the wake of his awful ankle injury from the Struijk challenge, I've rarely seen a player handle such a devastating outcome with such class. He must have seen replays and understood that it was super unlucky not malicious and completely absolved Struijk of fault. Sounds like the kind of character I want in the Leeds dressing room.

28 May 2026 11:58:09
Perhaps there are still negotiations to be made on the future of Harry Wilson. Will he be leaving Fulham on a free, or will he wait to see who their new manager is?
I rate both of these players, but surely, if one comes in on a free, it might sway which player could be financially the better option.



The question above all, though, has to be: do either of them want to come to Leeds United?

28 May 2026 12:07:57
I think Elliot has all the running power of Ba, but with an end product.

I think he is a great young talent and would fit our team ethics well.

But, if there was to be a new Liverpool manager, I think he'd stay there.

28 May 2026 12:15:49
I would defo want Harry Wilson.

But, after his pretty sensational productive season, 10 goals, 7 assists in 36 appearances.

He defo isn't coming to Leeds. probably go to Villa.

And, at £30 miliion, a big noooooo for Harvey Elliot. even £20 million.



As an attacking midfielder, his 5 goals and 10 assists in 93 appearances for a strong Liverpool is underwhelming imo.

We defo need better than him, much more end product results, esp if splashing large chunk of our transfer budget on him.

{Ed001's Note - he mostly played central midfield at Liverpool to be fair Baz.}

28 May 2026 12:36:06
Err Chrissy, re "end product".

Ba has scored the same number of goals for Leeds United in fewer matches in EPL than Elliot has for Liverpool in EPL. 😆

28 May 2026 12:59:05
Baz, please please please don't compare abilities of 2 said players.

Baracus loses every day.
Just like your other failed pet project.

Mr James..
That lad is as effective as an ashtray on a motorbike.

28 May 2026 13:11:48
Chris, 😆 ridiculously harsh on Danny James, who:

- Has been injured most of this seez.
- And scored 40 plus goals and assists in previous 2 seasons.
- And scored 5 goals and assisted 3 in our EPL season 21/22 under the mercurial Marcelo.



And as for Ba, he has been ok this seez, nowhere near as bad as you have suggested.

And he has scored and assisted quite a few important goals.

But of course yes please to an upgrade!

28 May 2026 12:31:39
Fair enough Ed001 re him playing mostly central midfield position for Pool

but do you think he would be a significant improvement for my Leeds United club esp at an acquisition at a hefty reported £30million?

I have my doubts personally 😌

{Ed001's Note - I love Harvey to be honest, so I am not the right person to ask as I am biased!}

28 May 2026 14:14:21
Think it's max 25 Baz. You're wrong about James. Ba and stats. I just get the opinion you stick up for James even when he is not the thread. Weird.

28 May 2026 14:58:50
Elliott had a hard task at Villa, trying to put himself ahead of Rogers, Tielemans and Buendia.

28 May 2026 15:02:57
Aus, .Chris unfairly lambasted DJ on this thread. I responded sticking up for him.

And no, Aus, the stats are not wrong.
Google 'em, fella.

DJ
Season 24/25: 12 goals, 9 assists
Season 23/24: 13 goals, 7 assists

Total: 25 goals, 16 assists.

Total 41 goal contributions.

And BA
4 goals this seez 25/26
1 goal in EPL 22/23. Total 5 goals in EPL seasons, as I stated.

Plus, he scored 9 goals last season in EFL.

100% correct. Facts.

28 May 2026 15:34:51
DJ, great Champo player. Baz, yes, done for us now, I would think. BA, have you watched him? Little purple patch, as consistent as a blue moon and as frustrating as trying to suck a Malteser out of its packet through a pin hole. Bin.

28 May 2026 15:48:47
Hi Davey,

As I said in the post above, I would love an upgrade on BA. I am not a fan, he has had an OK season, not as bad as some suggest.

He has one year left in his contract, so might be off, but our owners and Farke do favour BA.



As for DJ, yes, great in Champo. and I 100% expect him at Leeds United next season, Davey, as he is on a contract to 2029 on 70K a week.
.

28 May 2026 16:33:30
Absolute Lunacy paying out that style of salary for such basic players.

No wonder the squad can't be strengthened sufficiently. Take Jack & Dan's wages alone.

Mindboggling stuff.

28 May 2026 16:44:18
To put Harvey Elliot's price into perspective, he was the standout player in the U21 European Championship squad last year.
Archie was a rarely used sub.
We sold Archie for a lot more than we are allegedly looking at paying for Elliot.
One or both of them must be a good deal!

28 May 2026 17:10:54
imo, the Leeds recruitment team did very well indeed blagging £40 million from the normally shrewd Daniel Levy for AG.. ( £30 million plus Joe Rodon ) .

28 May 2026 17:55:29
With limited funds, we need to be shrewd in the business sense. We must not waste money on replacing like-for-like; that will not cut it.

28 May 2026 18:16:38
Elliott would be a good signing, I think he would come with the right attitude, but only if the price is right. Liverpool do have a knack of getting over-inflated fees for their young players. Brewster comes straight to mind.

28 May 2026 21:42:40
I don't think Brewster had the pedigree/potential of Harvey Elliott, and Liverpool had worked that out and got far more than he was worth. I don't think he even had a senior appearance for Liverpool. They do have a knack of doing it - Brewster, Jordan Ibe, etc. Watching Elliott before he went to Villa, I was always impressed with the energy and drive he brought to Liverpool, and he's had a fair number of games under his belt.


With regard to the choice between Elliott and Wilson, some would justify going for Wilson because he's a free agent. However, it doesn't always mean he's a much cheaper option. The free agents know their value and want a substantial signing on fee. Josh Brownhill was talking about £15m upfront plus a boost in salary 12 months ago. Was he worth £15m? Maybe, but in the end he took the Saudi route.

28 May 2026 22:27:20
Archie's ceiling is far higher.

29 May 2026 11:43:47
Alfie, AG's ceiling is not going to be high, imo. He is no James Milner for starters.

27 May 2026 21:00:36
69 mill for Gordon from bankrupt Barca. Wouldn’t give you half of that, grossly over rated.

27 May 2026 22:13:47
He's no superlative Raphinha, that's for sure.
Closer in talent to Jackie.

28 May 2026 12:08:58
Gordon Ramsey!

The football world is bonkers!

28 May 2026 12:40:48
Indeed, Ani.

I would want Flash Gordon at £69 million, not Anthony Gordon.

28 May 2026 21:17:31
We sold Raphinha to Barcelona 4 years ago, and they still owe us £36M on the deal. If I were a club selling a player to them now, I'd tell them the deal is 100% of the fee up front, or no deal. Take it or leave it.

28 May 2026 22:37:23
I'm not sure they still owe us for Raphinha, JR; I believe we were paid by a 3rd party intermediary and BCN owe them for Raphinha.

29 May 2026 05:40:00
Spot on with that, Ani.

27 May 2026 17:17:59
I see Jimmy made the Dutch squad.
Let's hope he plays ASAP for them and we get paid one of the add-ons before WHU end up selling him.

27 May 2026 18:27:28.
How much is the add on?
£3 million? £5 million?
Useful money. 💰

27 May 2026 19:40:48
Good luck to him, well deserved. Can't understand how that donkey Weghorst makes the squad tho.

27 May 2026 22:33:04
No idea of actual value, Baz, but certainly have seen 5 mill mentioned before.
Would be delighted with that.

28 May 2026 08:16:06
I've read that it's 4Mil, and that could come sooner than the World Cup, with the Netherlands set to play two friendlies next week, and if he is selected, it will activate that add-on clause.

28 May 2026 22:31:21
Not much, if anything, allegedly. Maybe a couple of hundred grand.

27 May 2026 16:11:24
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Matchday 38 - Quick Round Up

27 May 2026 07:48:00
I’m seeing a big split in opinion regarding the suggested number of player sales this summer.

For me, I do feel we need to clear the decks, for the new financial regs we can’t be wasting wages on players who simply will not offer much or be used by the gaffer.



So
My feeling is we will do our best to offload around 10-12 and bring in 5/6 good quality signings then some stocking fillers.

27 May 2026 09:10:17
Think offloading be harder than it sounds, especially with some of the wages. Just need to try and give away as best we can. Get some dosh for Struik, Perri and try improve in a few key positions. Offers for other players to be considered, but not bog, just Rodon, Bijol, Gabby, Amps, Stach, Okafor.

27 May 2026 09:34:31
I think a big part of the team's success has been due to the spirit and teamwork. I don't want that destroyed. I think the players who have been away this season should go, and maybe two or three of the current squad.


The rest, I think, will stay, and we should buy three too quality signings and add a couple or so of squad players (loans?) .
We were stretched at the end of the season. I don't like paddling, but sometimes it helps.

27 May 2026 10:08:58
"Padding". 😂

27 May 2026 14:33:39
My thoughts also, Dunelm. I'd keep most of those who've made regular appearances this season, and then add a few good quality new players. I would regard any new signings as being mostly "additions" rather than "replacements". We were down to the bare bones at West Ham on Sunday, but thankfully our continued PL status was confirmed by then.

If that situation had arisen earlier in the season, the consequences could have been more damaging. We need a (slightly) bigger squad for next year.

27 May 2026 18:39:19
As I said previously, I will be surprised if we manage to offload up to 12.. I predict 8 max.

I do hope the recruitment team are focusing all their efforts on quality goalscoring players, strikers / winger, and in midfield.

And also a reliable, competent RWB and LWB for competition to Bogle and Gudmunsson.

27 May 2026 20:38:12
The good news is that moving players who are not contributing like:

Gelhardt
Ramazani
Meslier (end of contract)
Buononotte (end of loan)
Byram (end of contract)

This will free up about 150k a week in wages if Gelhardt package reports are to be believed.
Moving on even two more from Wober, James, Harrison, Schmidt, Piroe would take us above 200k, with some fees too.

Perri would only be sold if recouped. He did not have a great start, but he is not awful.

Darlow needs a new contract. Ampadu needs exploring a new contract. Aaronson, we need to decide if he gets a new contract or we sell him now. Tying those three down (I think they will lean to keeping Aaronson) will eat into the 200k a week a bit.

27 May 2026 07:39:12
{Ed's Note - MK Scouser has posted a new article entitled, Slot, Reijnen and a Summer of Big Calls