Report: Leeds hope to soon start contract talks with Kemar Roofe

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Leeds United are reportedly yet to offer Kemar Roofe a new contract, with his current deal at Elland Road set to expire next summer.

According to a report from the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds hope to initiate contract talks with Kemar Roofe in the coming weeks as the striker heads into the final year of his contract at Elland Road.

Roofe was one of a number of players who enjoyed an outstanding campaign under Marcelo Bielsa. The 26-year-old finished as the Whites’ top goalscorer with 15 goals despite having to compete with summer signing Patrick Bamford and missing a hefty chunk of the campaign due to injury.

The Yorkshire Evening Post reports that Roofe is now one year away from being able to leave Leeds on a free transfer, and previous intentions to start talks have come to nothing with the two parties some distance apart on the terms.

However, the report adds that the Peacocks hope to get discussions with the £3 million star underway in the coming weeks. But it appears that there may be a slight obstacle for Leeds to overcome.

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Roofe is likely to want parity with Bamford’s wages, with his teammate becoming one of the club’s highest earners when he arrived ahead of this past season. But with Leeds missing out on promotion, the club may be limited in their ability to hand out significantly better contracts.

Most Leeds fans would probably argue that keeping Bielsa has to be the priority at this stage of the summer. The Argentinian has been a revelation in the Championship, and the Whites will fancy their promotion chances next year if he sticks around.

But getting Roofe tied down to a fresh deal also looks to be vitally important. The first-leg of the play-off semi-final – which Roofe starred in – saw Leeds play like the side that looked destined to run away with the league in the first-half of the season, and the second-leg – which he missed due to injury – was much more reminiscent of the team that largely stumbled across the line after the turn of the year and barely held onto third place.

Keeping Bielsa has to be the priority, but having Roofe sign a new deal would definitely be the icing on the cake for Leeds supporters heading into pre-season.