A number of Leeds United stars were the subject of interest in the summer transfer window.
The Leeds United managing director Angus Kinnear has reiterated that the Whites turned down offers for ‘first-choice players’ in the summer transfer window.
Leeds sold two of their key men, Pontus Jansson and Kemar Roofe, and replaced them with loan recruits Ben White and Eddie Nketiah, respectively.
In an interview with The Yorkshire Evening Post last month, Kinnear named Kalvin Phillips, Adam Forshaw, Luke Ayling and Pablo Hernandez as players for whom the Whites received bids.
But speaking to BBC Radio Leeds on Wednesday, the Elland Road chief explained that it was the desire of those concerned to remain at the club that, at least in part, allowed the Whites to stand firm.
“One of our objectives at the start of the window was around who we didn’t want to lose,” Kinnear said. “We know that it becomes a product of having a really good season in the Championship and then not going up, is that your players are sought-after by other clubs.
“Obviously, we had Kalvin, that was very publicised, but there were a number of other first-team, first-choice players who we received offers for, from both the Premier League and Championship.
“I think it’s a testament to Andrea’s (Radrizzani, the Leeds owner) financial commitment, but also the belief that the team have as a unit, and in Marcelo (Bielsa, the Whites manager), that those players refused those offers and wanted to stay, and that we were able to refuse them and we were able to maintain the integrity of the squad.”
Despite last season ending on a sour note for Leeds, the Whites have begun the new campaign brightly.
Bielsa’s men sit third in the Championship, with only a smash-and-grab winner from Swansea City on Saturday keeping them off pole position.
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