Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur Archie Gray talks move on as Joe Rodon deal nears — YEP 1/7/24

-

By Graham Smyth

Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur are in advanced negotiations over transfer moves for both Archie Gray and Joe Rodon.

Gray came close to joining Brentford over the weekend, after Leeds and Aston Villa had earlier engaged in discussions that progressed towards a deal for the 18-year-old midfielder. Brentford activated a £40m clause in Gray's contract and he travelled south to complete a medical on Saturday, before a disagreement over the payment schedule saw Leeds pull the plug.

Tottenham have been keen admirers of the youngster and as the Brentford move broke down Spurs then engaged Leeds in further talks. Spurs have also met Gray's exit clause and the negotiations have pulled Rodon into the mix. The centre-half spent last season on loan at Elland Road and the Whites are now in a position to bring him back permanently in a separate transaction.

Rodon played 50 times for Daniel Farke's side last season, first forming a solid partnership with Pascal Struijk before Ethan Ampadu replaced the injured Dutchman in the heart of the defence. Together Rodon and Ampadu presented an impressive centre-half pairing as Leeds made it to the play-off final at Wembley, where the promotion dream came to a bitter end.

The two deals are not yet over the line but after significant progression overnight Leeds are confident that things are moving in the right direction towards a possible completion tonight or tomorrow.

A deal in the region of £40m would help Leeds' position with regards to the EFL's Profitability and Sustainability regulations and because talks were at an advanced stage on Sunday the deal is expected to make the bookkeeping deadline. The departure of Gray will remain a difficult sell to the fanbase for 49ers Enterprises.

Speaking two days after the play-off final club chairman Paraag Marathe refused to rule out the possibility of losing the Championship Young Player of the Year and it was known that the sale of an asset would be necessary to keep Leeds on the right side of P&S rules. But Gray's family heritage at Elland Road, his lifelong support of the club and his performances last season have made the teen an incredibly popular figure with supporters.

There has been no sense of Gray pushing to leave Elland Road, despite the prospect of another year in the Championship and the idea of losing the club's crown jewel to Brentford prompted a backlash from sections of the support. While a move to Spurs and the return of Rodon will be more palatable to Whites, the cost of P&S and the play-off final defeat continues to bite.

Popular posts from this blog

The huge initial fee Leeds are set to receive for Crysencio Summerville’s move to West Ham — Leeds United News 31/7/24

-
Will Butcher West Ham United are closing in on a deal to sign Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United, and Ben Jacobs has shared how much Leeds will receive for the Dutchman. The 22-year-old has been strongly linked with the Elland Road exit door all summer and was targeted as the one big sale Leeds needed to make before the Profit & Sustainability Rules deadline this month. But instead, Leeds sold Archie Gray for £40m to Tottenham. Leeds have since sold five more players in the form of Diego Llorente, Marc Roca, Kris Klaesson and Charlie Cresswell – raking in around £60m in total. But more exits were always likely and Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday afternoon that West Ham had agreed personal terms with Summerville, and talks for a fee were ongoing with the Yorkshire side. Now, the story has moved on with multiple sources claiming a deal is done between Leeds and Angus Kinnear’s old club. The Dutchman is expected to sign a five-year at the London Stadium, until Jun...
Read more

Leeds United board break silence after transfer window with statement on upcoming Elland Road development — YEP 2/9/24

-
By Joe Donnohue Leeds United have confirmed supporters' commemorative stones at Elland Road's Centenary Square will be replaced free of charge in a bid to improve their longevity. Beginning next month, Leeds supporters' personalised stones will be replaced with exact replicas, courtesy of a new company, to ensure of a 'much better quality' installation. The work is expected to take around two months to complete. An official club statement confirmed 'three larger stones dedicated to former managers Don Revie, Howard Wilkinson and Marcelo Bielsa' will also be installed, 'similar to those located in Bremner Square', while additional space for supporters to purchase new stones has also been factored into the project. “The club have taken on board recent feedback from supporters on the stones at Centenary Square, and we are really happy that we can now announce that all of the stones will be replaced," chief executive Angus Kinnear confirmed,...
Read more

Leeds United transfer state of play as Whites knock back low bid and assert wing pair stance — YEP 3/7/24

-
By Graham Smyth Leeds United are not actively looking to cash in on Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto and believe any further outgoing transfer business will be done on their terms. The Whites, who sold Archie Gray to Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday for £40m, expect that there will be continued interest in wing pair Summerville and Gnonto as the summer transfer window progresses. Summerville has been a target for Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion but their interest has not yet materialised into a bid. The Albion did, however, send a £30m proposal for Georginio Rutter, which Elland Road chiefs rejected. Rutter is not expected to try and force an exit this summer and appears settled at Leeds after a far more positive second season in English football. The sale of Gray has helped put Leeds into a position where they do not need to sell star players and can dictate any moves that do happen. Club sources say they are not actively looking to sell the likes of Summerville o...
Read more