Leeds United are reportedly hoping to tie Kalvin Phillips down to a new contract at Elland Road.
Leeds fans were given a reason to be somewhat cheerful last week when BBC Radio Leeds journalist Adam Pope suggested that the Whites had offered Kalvin Phillips a new contract amid reports linking the midfielder with Aston Villa.
The Sun reported last month that Dean Smith is keen to sign the 23-year-old, but Leeds are demanding £30 million for the academy graduate, who was sensational during his first campaign under Marcelo Bielsa.
Getting Phillips to sign a new contract would be a fantastic statement from the Whites. But based on recent reports, it appears that Leeds are doing themselves no favours in their attempts to convince the youngster to commit his future to Elland Road.
Leeds came agonisingly close to sealing promotion to the Premier League last term, making this summer a pivotal one for the Peacocks. And it got off to the perfect start with Bielsa committing to a second year in charge of the Championship side.
The transfer policy in place under Andrea Radrizzani left the fans expecting at least one of the club’s prized-assets to be sold, so the news that Jack Clarke had been loaned back immediately after signing for Tottenham softened the blow.
But the summer appears to have taken something of a turn in recent days, with the Yorkshire Evening Post reporting that Pontus Jansson has completed a £5.5 million move to Brentford. It is a transfer that has attracted a lot of criticism for the fee involved.
And The Sun has now suggested that Leeds are also open to selling Kemar Roofe for just £5 million with Rangers keen on the forward should they sell Alfredo Morelos.
Roofe’s spell at Leeds has been mixed. But he finished last season as the club’s top goalscorer, with 14 goals coming before mid-January. It would be a huge error to let the 26-year-old go for that reported asking price.
If Phillips has any doubt about extending his contract at Leeds, seeing the likes of Jansson leave and Roofe potentially follow him is only going to add to his concern, particularly if they are only going to get a combined £10.5 million for the pair.
Leeds have made some impressive moves in the market – most notably, the loan deal for Helder Costa – but Jansson and Roofe were integral to the club’s promotion push last season. Losing the pair would seemingly deal a major blow to the Whites’ promotion hopes before the season has even begun.
Phillips is almost definitely going to be playing in the Premier League sooner or later. And if Leeds want to keep him, they need to show that they are going to do everything they can to get back to English football’s top table.
If they sell Jansson and Roofe, the Leeds hierarchy may need to have something special up their sleeve to prove to Phillips that they are still heading in the right direction.
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