Leeds United could be just three games away from an immediate return to the Premier League and the players that were relegated last term are now cast far and wide aside from a remaining bunch.
Daniel Farke’s Whites will enter the home straight of the Championship run-in with Monday night’s clash at Middlesbrough which Leeds are approaching in third place, two points adrift of the division’s second automatic promotion place occupied by Ipswich Town.
Ipswich, Leeds and leaders Leicester City were all new to the division this term, Ipswich having come up as League One runners-up but Leeds, Leicester and also fourth-placed Southampton all relegated from last season’s top-flight.
United’s squad now has a completely different look to it although a handful of stars stuck around to fight for an immediate top-flight return and several more are still on the club’s books. Here, we run through the whereabouts and recent fortunes of the Whites matchday squad that appeared for the club’s final game of the Premier League relegation campaign last May at home to Tottenham Hotspur, a game that ended in a 4-1 defeat.
1. Joel Robles (Al-Qadsiah)
Experienced keeper Robles ended last season as boss Sam Allardyce’s first choice keeper after Illan Meslier was dropped. Robles left Leeds in July in a permanent exit to join Saudi First Division League side Al-Qadsiah for whom he has played every minute of every league game so far this season. Al-Qadsiah are top of the division and eight points clear of nearest pursuers Al Kholood and Al-Orobah with just six games left. Photo: Julian Finney
2. Luke Ayling (Middlesbrough)
Club stalwart Ayling was one of just a handful of Whites players to stick around in the bid to take the Whites back up, often captaining the side when skipper Liam Cooper was not in the XI. After finding game time limited, Ayling left Leeds in January to join fellow Championship side Middlesbrough on loan for the rest of the season but that switch effectively ended his time at Leeds due to being out of contract in the summer. Ayling has excelled at Boro and will likely be in high demand at the end of the campaign. Photo: Stu Forster
3. Liam Cooper
Club captain Cooper is one of just two players who started last season’s Premier League finale against Tottenham who is still with the club. Now in his tenth season with the Whites, Cooper has already achieved one promotion with Leeds and will be keeping everything crossed that another one can be sealed this time around too. The Scotland international has found game time limited behind Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk before injury and now Ethan Ampadu but his leadership is always extremely evident, on or off the pitch. Photo: Alex Burstow
4. Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt)
German centre-back Koch was one of several Leeds players to depart the club on a relegation loan release clause, joining Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt on loan for the 2023-24 campaign. That switch was then made permanent in January upon his loan deal expiring in the summer. Koch has made 27 starts for Eintracht Frankfurt this season and was recalled to the Germany squad in March, the defender an unused sub for the friendlies against France and Netherlands. Frankfurt are sixth in the table, pushing hard for a European qualification place and Koch himself might he heading to the Euros. Photo: Christian Kaspar-Bartke
5. Pascal Struijk
The only other player along with Cooper who is still part of the Whites squad from the team that started against Tottenham. Struijk’s season is now over following surgery to fix a groin injury which has kept him out since Boxing Day’s defeat at Preston North End. The centre-back had excelled up to that point, often wearing the captain’s armband. Still only 24, Struijk is expected back in pre-season. Photo: Stu Forster
6. Rasmus Kristensen (AS Roma)
One of the relegated players not with the current squad but still on the club’s books having left in July to join AS Roma on loan as part of a relegation release clause. Danish international right-back Kristensen has made 25 league appearances so far this season for Roma who sit fifth in Serie A, pushing for European qualification. Kristensen recently returned from a muscular injury as an unused sub for the Rome derby victory at home to Lazio. Part of the Denmark squad when fit and all set for the Euros where the Danes are in the same group as England. Contracted at Leeds until the summer of 2027. Photo: Paolo Bruno
7. Max Wober (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Another still on Leeds United’s books after his loan exit relegation release clause to Bundesliga side Borussia Mönchengladbach who are currently 11th in the table. Wober is a regular starter for the side whom he has also captained. The defender who can also play as a holding midfielder is also part of the Austria squad and is therefore another player who is likely heading to the Euros at which Austria are in the same group as the Netherlands, France and Poland. Wober’s Leeds contract runs until the summer of 2027. Photo: Christof Koepsel
8. Adam Forshaw (Plymouth Argyle)
Club stalwart Forshaw returned from injury towards the end of United’s Premier League relegation campaign but his efforts could not save the Whites from the drop. Leeds announced after their relegation that Forshaw’s contract would not be extended upon expiring and the midfielder departed for Norwich City. Forshaw then signed for Plymouth Argyle in the January transfer window. He made his tenth league start in Saturday’s Championship clash at Stoke City in which he was forced off injured in the ninth minute. Photo: David Rogers
9. Jack Harrison (Everton)
Another still on the books having departed in a relegation loan release clause to Everton, giving the winger another season in the Premier League. Harrison has since made 21 league starts, chipping in with three goals and three assists for Sean Dyche’s side who began Sunday’s hosting of Nottingham Forest fifth bottom and just two points clear of the dropzone following points deductions but with two games in hand. Harrison’s Leeds contract runs until the summer of 2028 so he is big one to keep an eye on this summer. Photo: Alex Livesey
10. Weston McKennie (Juventus)
A player whose situation has gone the other way – McKennie joining Leeds on loan from Juventus in January 2023 but then returning to his parent club in the summer. The USA international midfielder has since made 21 league starts for Juve who sit third in the Serie A table and are also through to the Copa Italia semi-finals. Photo: Valerio Pennicino
11. Rodrigo (Al-Rayyan)
The former Leeds record signing departed the club in July, joining Qatar Stars League club Al-Rayyan who triggered the forward’s relegation release clause. Al-Rayyan are second in the table, five points behind Al Sadd with two games left. Rodrigo has been in and out of the side somewhat but has six goals and five assists. He also returned to the XI with a goal and an assist in his club’s most recent fixture, a 3-0 win at Qatar SC. Now 33, Rodrigo has not made the Spain squad since last summer when he helped his country to a Nations League trophy triumph. Photo: KENZO TRIBOUILLARD
12. Illan Meslier
Meslier ended the relegation season as second choice keeper behind Joel Robles leading to huge speculation about his future but the young French keeper stayed put and quickly became Daniel Farke’s first choice no 1. A key part of the promotion chasing squad. Photo: George Wood
13. Junior Firpo
Similar to Meslier in that he stuck around for a tilt at Championship promotion push and eventually returned from injury to good effect, contributing five assists. Now first choice left back. Photo: Jess Hornby
14. Jeremiah Mullen (Inverness Caledonian Thistle)
Young defender Mullen made the bench for the Premier League finale against Spurs. He has yet to feature for the first team despite often impressing for the under-21s and joined Inverness Caledonian Thistle in January on loan for the rest of the campaign. Mullen then started three games in a row but has not made the last ten matchday squads. Photo: Lewis Storey
15. Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin)
Another still on Leeds United’s books and with his time on his side in his career at just 23 years of age. USA international attacking midfielder was another to leave Leeds on a relegation loan release clause, joining Bundesliga side Union Berlin for the 2023-24 campaign. It’s been a pretty miserable campaign for Union Berlin who sit fifth bottom but Aaronson has bagged 29 appearances and has scored twice in his last seven games. Contracted at Leeds until the summer of 2027. Photo: Christian Kaspar-Bartke
16. Marc Roca (Real Betis)
And another still on the Whites books, departing on a relegation loan release clause to La Liga outfit Real Betis who are on the fringes of a European qualification spot in seventh place. Roca has made 22 league starts for Betis and was named in Spain boss Luis de la Fuente’s provisional squad list for October;s European Championship qualifier with Scotland but ultimately did not feature. Photo: Angel Martinez
17. Crysencio Summerville
It’s crazy to think that Summerville was named on the bench and was an unused sub for the Premier League relegation finale v Tottenham. Just under one year later, the 22-year-old flying Dutch winger is perhaps United’s biggest star and the Championship’s player of the year. Huge for the final push. Photo: Ed Sykes
18. Georginio Rutter
Another of United’s main stars, now having had time to bed in and settle upon being thrust into a relegation battle upon joining the Whites for a club record fee of £35m from Hoffenheim last January, and of course with life easier upon the drop to Championship football. Fifteen assists and six goals for the league campaign so far and a few more would be just what the doctor ordered for the final promotion push. The 22-year-old French forward was included in the Championship team of the year along with Leeds team mates Summerville and Ethan Ampadu. Photo: Ed Sykes
19. Willy Gnonto
Quite the saga, young Italian international forward Gnonto looking destined to leave Leeds upon handing in a transfer request last summer only to be integrated back into the group and ultimately back to his best at times for Farke’s side. Another who is key to United’s promotion prospects. Photo: Michael Regan
20. Sam Greenwood (Middlesbrough)
A set piece wizard – an area Leeds are badly coming up short in at present. Greenwood, still only 22, joined fellow Championship side Middlesbrough on loan for the 2023-24 season last August and quickly made a big impression with a run of five goals and two assists from a fin run of 11 games. A bit quieter of late but still 25 league starts for Michael Carrick’s side who Leeds visit for a huge clash on Monday night. Thankfully, Ayling and Greenwood cannot play due to the terms of their loan deals. Greenwood is contracted at Leeds until the summer of 2026. Photo: Stu Forster
21. Tyler Adams and Luis Sinisterra
Adams and Sinisterra were among those injured for the Premier League relegation finale against Tottenham. Patrick Bamford was another key man injured, the Whites no 9 staying with the club in the bid for an immediate return and bagging seven goals on his full return from injury at the turn of the new year. Sinisterra also initially stuck around for the start of the Championship campaign but then joined Bournemouth on a loan relegation release, the deal then made permanent in January. Adams had long since also departed for the Cherries on a permanent deal last August. Both have had their injury problems, Sinisterra now nursing a fresh hamstring setback. Photo: Steve Barden
