The transfer window has been incredibly busy for Leeds United, and despite most of that action being incomings to the club, departures have now begun in great numbers at Elland Road.
As Isaac Schmidt is set to join Werder Bremen on loan, and Joe Gelhardt finalises a move back to Hull on loan, more of Daniel Farke’s squad players are being shipped out.
Leeds have agreed a deal with RCD Espanyol for Mateo Joseph to depart the club on loan as the manager looks to clear his squad of any player he doesn’t see as a part of his plans this campaign.
As the striker had requested to leave, the decision to let him depart the club appeared inevitable, and now some players look close to following the Spaniard out of the exit doors.
Sam Greenwood
Sam Greenwood appears not to be in Farke’s Leeds plans and will be looking for a Championship suitor to make a move for him.
During the Leeds manager’s tenure at Elland Road, Greenwood has not featured for the club, with consecutive loan moves to Middlesbrough and Preston giving the midfielder more game time.
The Englishman was a regular under Paul Heckingbottom and has been touted for a return to the club alongside rumoured links to relegated Leicester City.
Due to the midfield additions in the transfer market and Farke’s previous refusal to have Greenwood in his plans, it appears inevitable that he will depart the club.
Unlike Schmidt and Joseph, Leeds will likely want a permanent deal for the former Arsenal man, or at the very least a loan with an option to buy, which would free up further funds for Leeds to chase further reinforcements.
Jack Harrison
A departure that would appear to suit both player and fans would be Jack Harrison leaving Elland Road.
Harrison was greeted with a frosty reception when appearing in the pre-season matchup with Manchester United and was notably absent from the Premier League media day that the club took part in.
The winger spent two consecutive seasons on loan at Everton, yet failed to impress at the Merseyside outfit, scoring only four times across his two-year spell.
Whilst the 28-year-old has been linked with a return to David Moyes’ side, it looks unlikely that the club will loan Harrison for a third season and leaves the winger in a tough spot.
With three years remaining on his Leeds contract, yet no guarantee of any first-team football, the Whites will want to cash in and get his large wage off the books to free up room for targeted signings.
Illan Meslier
Illan Meslier looks likely to be frozen out of Farke’s Premier League plans, as the signing of Lucas Perri to the club demotes the goalkeeper to third choice behind both Perri and Karl Darlow.
The Frenchman made many high-profile mistakes in Leeds’ Championship campaign, including costly errors against Sunderland, Hull and Swansea.
RC Strasbourg have been linked with Meslier, yet no material offer has come through for the goalkeeper, and his career looks at risk of going into limbo with no route to regular first-team football in sight.
With last season’s third-choice keeper, Alex Cairns, being retained for the new Premier League season, it appears as if Meslier has little to no future, regardless of how Perri performs.
A permanent departure would suit both parties, with the only question being, who will take a chance on a goalkeeper prone to errors and short on confidence.