By admin Leeds United have a slew of contract issues to make before next summer.
Seven players’ contracts are set to expire at the end of the season, including three of their most important leaders in the locker room.
Luke Ayling, Stuart Dallas, and Liam Cooper are all out of contract in 2024, and choices will have to be made soon, but the uncertainty of which division Leeds will be in makes it tough.
Having said that, TeamTalk reports that Daniel Farke would like to grant Ayling another one-year contract at Elland Road, extending his stay until 2024.
Ayling is in his eighth season at Leeds after joining from Bristol City, and he has been a good servant to the club, with Garth Crooks hailing him as ‘amazing’ during the club’s first season back in the Premier League.
Leeds would be making a mistake if they signed Ayling.
While there is no doubt that Ayling remains an important role in the dressing room, his impact on the field has significantly decreased in recent months.
Despite the absence of summer addition Djed Spence due to injury, Ayling has been left out of three of the last four starting lineups, showing Farke’s desire to move away from him as a regular.
Ayling has appeared to be Leeds’ weak link in the games he has started, with an obvious deterioration in his physical and technical skills, the latter of which was usually his strong point.
Whatever league Leeds finds themselves in next season, they must begin to distance themselves from players like Ayling.
His services to this club over the last few years cannot be overlooked, but it is time to set sentiment aside and begin a new chapter.