Charlie Taylor is said to be close to a move from Leeds to West Brom.
Charlie Taylor’s future at Leeds United remains in doubt with The Sun reporting in the past 48 hours that West Bromwich Albion are stepping up attempts to lure him to the Premier League.
Taylor has just six months remaining on his contract and this is Leeds’ last chance to negotiate a fee with a potential buyer if a contract extension cannot be agreed.
While losing Taylor is in theory a blow for Leeds, it does not need to be.
Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum in action with Leeds’ Charlie Taylor
Firstly fans should remember the circumstances which saw Taylor flourish as a Leeds United player in the first place.
He stepped up mid-season two years ago after Stephen Warnock was controversially sold, and has been a regular ever since.
Leeds already have a ready made replacement in Tyler Denton, who scored on his debut earlier this season.
Leeds United manager Garry Monk talks to his players
If head coach Garry Monk is unsure about his readiness to contribute to a promotion push, then he could dip into the transfer market to sign a replacement.
Everything about Monk’s early transfer activity suggests he will sign the right player, having been an astute judge of defensive talent thus far, and his management has made Leeds an even more attractive club for players to want to join.
Rotherham United’s Will Vaulks in action with Leeds United’s Charlie Taylor
Most important to bear in mind is the galvanising effect Taylor’s departure could have on the rest of the squad.
In recent transfer windows Sam Byram and Lewis Cook have all taken the shortcut to Premier League football, but for the first time, Leeds are in a position to dream of it themselves.
The Whites are in the thick of a battle for the play-offs, and Taylor leaving could make the players remaining, even more determined to achieve something themselves, and prove the 23-year-old wrong.
The natural reaction is to view Taylor’s departure, should it happen, as a serious blow to Leeds, but if managed correctly then it is just another opportunity for the team to get better.
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