Leeds United lambasted by BBC journalist for ‘dreadful’ transfer news as Adam Pope suggests ‘no way back’ for Max Wober and pals.
Adam Pope and Jonny Buchan of the BBC have criticised Leeds United‘s transfer developments, which have seen six key players leave on loan.
Max Wober‘s departure for Borussia Monchengladbach is expected to be the biggest blow of the window after Daniel Farke claimed the Austrian defender was left out of Saturday’s friendly with Monaco owing to a “transfer situation” [Phil Hay, 22 July].
The 25-year-old will join Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin), Marc Roca (Real Betis), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Diego Llorente and Rasmus Kristensen (both Roma) as first-team players to leave for little or no financial reward, and Pope believes none will have a viable route back if the Whites are promoted next summer.
Buchan remarked on Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet for the BBC on Monday (24 July, 8:30 a.m.): “It’s an apparently horrible business, isn’t it? To pay this money for these players, and even if you don’t have to pay it all up front, you still have to pay it, but then to give them all terms in their contracts that allow them to go out on loan, Wober being the most recent example… that’s a nasty business, isn’t it?”
Pope merely replied, “Yes.” There are no two ways about it.”
“Wober feels like a real kick in the proverbials,” he continued. There is no turning back. Is there any hope for any of them if they have successful seasons? And what is the value at the end?”
“There’s no way back for any of these players now,” Buchan said. If Leeds are promoted back to the Premier League, who will want Aaronson, Wober, and Llorente all returning from loan because they want another opportunity at the Premier League?”
Blow
The first five names were not ones that most Leeds United fans were particularly eager to see in a Leeds United jersey next season, but the absence of proper transfer money was disappointing.
However, the Wober development over the weekend delivered a double whammy by truly weakening Daniel Farke‘s team while also demonstrating that practically anyone might follow at short notice right up to deadline day.
It was important to protect against financial calamity in the event of relegation, but it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the club has sold itself short with the wide loan clauses, when most players were supposed to have considerable wage decreases built in already.
It will be remembered as another dismal footnote to the conclusion of the Andrea Radrizzani-Victor Orta period, and depending on who else leaves or remains, it may continue to have an impact on the club long after both have officially left.
Farke requires men now, and while that is expected, there is little time until the new season begins, and the latest departure will have delayed his plans when it was assumed Wober would stay [Leeds Live, 6 July].
At best, these players will be gone within a year, and the fees anticipated this summer may arrive 12 months later, as it is difficult to imagine them slipping back in having deceiving in the top level last season.
Wober is the only one who played well enough to justify such an awful scenario, thus his departure is a significant letdown.
It will be feasible to assess the window as a whole after deadline day has passed and the subsequent ins and outs between then and now have been counted, but the newest development at Elland Road is unappealing.
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