Should Leeds have a succession plan if prized assets depart?

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On the Marching On Together Leeds United Podcast, Daniel Wales and Lee Sobot discuss how Leeds United will cope if one of their star players departs the club this summer.

Transcript

00:00 I mean, obviously, I know we've mentioned some of the non-so-likely to part, but if

00:07 they were to move out and move on, I presume, like for like, is that the type of player

00:13 you'd want to replace in those two years?

00:17 Definitely, yeah. I mean, as I say, it's hard to say what Leeds need because you can only

00:22 base that on what Leeds really, because to be quite honest, and this was echoed by David

00:27 Prutton when I did his latest column, if they go into the squad with this, sorry, into the

00:32 new season with the same squad they've got, then they should go up. They should back themselves

00:36 to go up really, but then they should have probably gone up this season. The only thing

00:39 is, is that they did have a difficult start to navigate, but ultimately they just fell

00:42 away at the end and they just didn't turn up. And there's too many games that didn't

00:45 turn up for, but like the playoff final being the main one, but on paper and the squad they've

00:49 got, you know, would be more, should be more than good enough to do it. But I don't think

00:53 anybody expects them to have the same squad because I think there will be departures.

00:57 So, and I mean, I find it amazing that if one of, at least one of Nonto or Somerville

01:03 didn't go, if not both, and they're both the same position, both wingers basically. So

01:08 that's surely something they're going to have to look at. But it's a bit hypothetical at

01:12 the moment because obviously, you know, they haven't gone and they might not go, but I

01:15 suspect they probably will. One answer to that is Dan James, you know, because he's

01:19 a ready-made replacement who was sort of sometimes first choice, sometimes wasn't, and then Nonto

01:24 took over towards the end. But there's going to be a big gap out wide one way or the other,

01:28 I think. So a winger looks like a definite thing to go for. As I said earlier, a creative

01:34 midfielder. I mean, this goes back to it. I mean, this goes back years ago, like, I

01:38 mean, where we've always said they have never really replaced Pablo Hernandez, you know,

01:42 in terms of like attacking number 10. But there aren't many Pablo Hernandez's about,

01:46 that's the truth. So, but, you know, an attacking midfielder, central, more, you know, creative

01:52 attacking midfielder would probably be a good shot. Roden's huge, you know, like centre-back.

01:57 I think if they go out and get Roden permanent, I mean, it's going to be hard because other

02:02 Premier League clubs are going to look at him, I'm sure of it. Then you'd probably think

02:05 the defence would be pretty sound because you've got Pascal Stroot coming back as well.

02:10 Right back depends on what happens with Archie and Sam Byram, obviously, because he was only

02:13 on a one-year deal. Left back, obviously, fair play to go to the end of the season,

02:17 but is that enough for next season? And then obviously, every single club needs a real

02:23 good solid number nine. And it doesn't really feel like Leeds have got one on a week in,

02:29 week out, consistent basis. And that's key, you know, Bamford was brilliant second half

02:33 of the season, went on a goal scores spree. Obviously, season ended in disappointment

02:38 with injury. Peru's been hit and miss. Sometimes he's been good in that role, sometimes he

02:42 hasn't. But I think it's just natural to think that looking at another number nine would

02:46 definitely be an option. Although, you know, they might well have the answer from within

02:50 with Matteo Joseph, but time will tell with that. But he looks a good player to me, Matteo,

02:55 every time I've seen him anyway.

02:56 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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