These 5 Leeds United players need to be offloaded as Daniel Farke’s side head for the Premier League

Add as preferred source on Google

Leeds United can start planning for the Premier League after securing a 6-0 win over Stoke City, which was then followed by sealing promotion just hours later.

It was the perfect weekend in the Championship for the Whites and for Joel Piroe in breaking records thanks to his four-goal haul against Mark Robins.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LeedsLeeds	44	27	13	4	89	29	60	94
2	BurnleyBurnley	44	26	16	2	61	15	46	94
3	Sheff UtdSheffield Utd	44	27	7	10	60	35	25	86
4	SunderlandSunderland	44	21	13	10	58	41	17	76

Burnley’s 2-1 win over Chris Wilder and Sheffield United assured promotion mathematically. The only thing left for either to play for is the Championship title.

But the glory and the financial reward of promotion is not in doubt. Leeds and Burnley have even handed the Premier League a financial boost after securing top-flight status.

• READ MORE: Marcelo Bielsa’s words are what Leeds United must emulate against Stoke City to repeat 2020 promotion

Leeds must offload a number of players not cut out for Premier League football

Over the coming weeks and months, Leeds will have to make a number of major decisions regarding current players but also in terms of transfers into the club.

There are some players who will be perceived as capable of making the step up, others who may be considered as too good for the Championship but not good enough for the Premier League, and others who are simply not cut out whatsoever for English football’s top tier.

Here, we take a look at five players Daniel Farke and co. should be looking to move on in the near future with the Premier League in mind.

Illan Meslier

With just a year left on his contract, and having been demoted to a bench role for Karl Darlow, there is no world where Illan Meslier remaining makes sense from a Leeds perspective.

If he’s not a good enough No.1 in the second tier, then he won’t be making the step back up to be that after promotion. What sort of fee they will get and what kind of market there is for him are fair questions to ask, but the Frenchman needs to be sold one way or another.

Patrick Bamford

Leeds’ long-term No.9 has been blighted by injury issues and bad runs of form in recent seasons. His wages are huge but, like Meslier, he is in the final year of his contract at Elland Road and the time is right to part ways.

Patrick Bamford has a number of qualities for an all-round centre-forward. He is a player capable of running the channels and holding up play as a focal point for the attack, but Leeds need a younger, fitter, healthier option to rely on and need to find a way to offload him.

Max Wober

The Austrian is a useful player, considering his versatility and experience. He can operate at left-back or in a centre-back role. However, his injury issues and lack of regular first-team minutes surely make him a standout for a move this summer.

Max Wober has top level quality but he is likely to want regular and consistent football, which is why Leeds should be finding a way to sell him this summer. Leeds will need greater depth at centre-back than Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk, but Wober is not likely to be that.

Jack Harrison

Simply put, there is no way back for Jack Harrison at Leeds. Even if he has a further three years on his deal, which he does, he is not a player the club will want. Cutting ties and a parting of ways is absolutely guaranteed to be on the cards.

He is also a player they can make money back on from a PSR perspective. That, and the fact Leeds have a number of good options already out wide, combines to make Harrison surplus to requirements. The 28-year-old’s loan clause is no longer active, so a permanent sale is likely to transpire.

Mateo Joseph

Having seen the benefits of a half-season loan for Joe Gelhardt at Hull City, Leeds must do a similar move for one of their current young attackers. Mateo Joseph is evidently a talent that needs nurturing with game time to achieve his potential.

A full-season loan could unlock that for the 21-year-old. Joseph has the tools to be a well-rounded No.9 one day but he is not Premier League ready and more refinement and time is needed to ensure the best chance that he might be one day. Both he and Joffy ought to be loaned out once again.

• READ MORE: How Leeds United compare to this time last season as Daniel Farke closes in on Premier League return

Out of contract Leeds United players

On top of the players Leeds can deem as not good enough are almost all of the players out of contract this summer. That includes the likes of Josuha Guilavogui and Sam Byram. 

Both of them would mean losing vast experience from the squad, but Leeds need new leaders for 2025/26 and neither should have their contract renewed either.

The only one who is worth considering is the future of Leeds’ specialist left-back, Junior Firpo. He has been outstanding this season and earns his place in any and all Team of the Season lists that come out over the coming weeks.

His injury record and his disappointment last time out in the top flight are sure to be aspects of concern, but the 28-year-old has been one of Leeds key players, especially as a vital component of the attack. A short contract ought to be considered for Firpo.