Leeds United are selling Archie Gray to Tottenham.
Is it another young talent leaving Elland Road too prematurely?
In the latest episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix give their assessment of the 18-year-old's imminent departure.
Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds
Adam Pope
BBC Radio Leeds reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesTottenham were waiting in the wings to move for Archie Gray after it emerged Brentford could not meet the structure of a deal Leeds United desired.
Joe Rodon, in a separate transaction, will sign for Leeds for an undisclosed fee - but I understand it is about £10m.
Defender Charlie Cresswell is set for a move to Toulouse for £3.8m. He is another academy product so that will all be profit on the books.
Cresswell is due to have a medical in France and flew out on Sunday.
I understand there has been no further interest of note in forward Crysencio Summerville since Brighton showed some a couple of weeks ago.
Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesTottenham remain in talks with Leeds United about signing 18-year-old midfielder Archie Gray.
Leeds were looking to close the move before the English Football League's Financial Fair Play (FFP) deadline on 30 June but they failed to agree a fee in time.
They can apply for mitigation or a "near miss" if they sell Gray in the coming days.
Both parties remain confident of reaching a positive conclusion after Leeds rejected Brentford’s £40m offer on Sunday morning because of payment terms.
The prospect of defender Joe Rodon moving from Tottenham to Leeds as part of the deal is also being discussed.
Chelsea have joined Tottenham in the race to sign midfielder Archie Gray from Leeds United. (Telegraph - subscription required), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
Image source, PA MediaOn this week's episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, the panel responded to a listener's question, asking if left-back Junior Firpo could move forward to be a more attacking option for manager Daniel Farke, if winger Crysencio Summerville leaves Elland Road this summer.
Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix said: "I think he could do that job, whether or not that's the answer...
"I think if we got to the end of the transfer window and we hadn't recruited quite correctly and we had to adjust it round, I think we've seen from Junior that he could be a decent left-winger.
"If he was actually the left-winger, would he be able to beat the man enough times? Would he have the full skillset for that? I think he could do it for part of a season.
"It also depends on who's behind him. [It might work] if we had a really good, left-footed left-back, I don't think Sam Byram [who the listener suggested to play at left-back instead] would be the answer behind Firpo, I don't think it would be as strong as last season."
BBC Radio Leeds' Adam Pope added: "It seems like such a culture shock to go from Summerville to Firpo. He's got it in his locker, but I don't see a change from [Daniel] Farke to accommodate that."
We asked for your views on Leeds United's first 10 games of the 2024-25 Championship season and whether Daniel Farke's side will start the campaign strongly.
Here are some of your thoughts:
Kevin: We are Leeds. It could be a great start and we could be top two after 10 games, or it could go badly and the fans could start calling for Daniel Farke to be sacked.
John: There is no way of knowing how the season will start. Newly-promoted Portsmouth could do an Ipswich or struggle to cope at the new level. We have a few decent games but a lot will depend on whether we lose, retain or recruit players. I'm hopeful that, with the bulk of the same squad, we would be in the top five or six after 10 games - but hopefully in the top two!
Oscar: Leeds are going to win the Championship and go on an unbeaten run for 15 games.
Shaun: The fixture list is neither here nor there until we know who we have playing for us next season. That being said, we should be off to a flier looking at the early fixtures.
Pete: I don't want to be too negative but we really need to make a good start to the season. We must go up in the top two, but it's easier said than done. Everyone wants to beat Leeds.
Danny: I think we need to start strongly this season and maintain it all the way. After 10 games, I expect us to be at the top of the table and not looking back for the rest of the season.
Adam Pope
BBC Radio Leeds reporter
So, there we have it. A pre-season of a behind-closed-doors trip to Germany bookended by a visit to Harrogate Town (and Bettys - founded in 1919, the same year as Leeds United) and a visit from last season's ninth-placed La Liga side, Valencia.
The latter provides a chance for revenge against coach Ruben Baraja, who was part of the Los Ches squad to feature in the first leg of United's Champions League semi-final defeat in 2001, and for Elland Road to remind Sergio Canos they have not forgotten his alleged headbutt on Ezgjan Alioski in 2018, for which the winger was cleared of wrongdoing.
But then the real business of the Championship starts at 12:30 BST on 10 August, with League One champions Portsmouth at Elland Road, probably still smarting from Danny Pugh's winner after 14 minutes of his second debut the last time they came in 2011. Heady days. Have some more of that, Steve Cotterill, Nwankwo Kanu and co, I hear you say.
Scanning the 10 months of the slogathon, with Sky Sports picks, Carabao Cup and FA Cup ties waiting in the wings, my attention is always drawn to key moments and anomalies.
Watford, Millwall and Norwich City are the long midweek away days which will have supporters negotiating shift patterns with benign bosses. Not that anyone can safely book much just yet, knowing the TV schedule to be announced next month could scupper efforts for discounted train tickets, flights and hotels.
Two games away from home in the Christmas week seems as harsh as the weather will be at Stoke City, and for the inevitable frosty binoculars at Derby County.
But the run-in includes a first league visit to Oxford United since Howard Wilkinson led United to promotion to the top flight in 1990.
One generation will recall Wilko berating his captain Gordon Strachan for giving up penalty-taking duties only for Lee Chapman to miss a chance of a hat-trick from 12 yards in a 4-2 win at the Manor Ground.
Another will remember the 4-3 pre-season defeat at the Kassam Stadium after which new head coach Marcelo Bielsa, director of football Victor Orta and owner Andrea Radrizzani were in heated discussion as the 2018-19 season beckoned.
A DVD of Ken Loach's play Kes was seen in Bielsa's dugout that day. You could imagine him going full Brian Glover shouting at his employers: "I've never seen such slack work in my life!"
There will be no Billy Caspers being accused of "slack work, lad" at BBC Radio Leeds and on the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, you can be assured.
In less than seven weeks' time against Pompey, we will be there covering every shot, tackle and save until Plymouth away 10 months later.
Oh, and any play-off fixtures that may follow...
Now that the fixtures for the new Championship season are out, it is time to start looking ahead to the 2024-25 campaign and all of the key matches.
So, where do you think Leeds United will be after the first 10 games? Will Daniel Farke's side start the season strongly?
How difficult do you think the fixtures will be?
Leeds United's Championship fixtures for the 2024-25 season have arrived, so if you have not yet seen them, head over here.
The Whites have early home games against promoted Portsmouth and Yorkshire rivals Hull City, with games against relegated Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton Town at Elland Road all this side of Christmas.
On Boxing Day it will be a trip to Stoke City before returning to host Blackburn Rovers on New Year's Day.
Leeds will end the season with the return game against Stoke, the visit of Bristol City and a final-day trek to Plymouth Argyle.
Leeds United will begin their 2024-25 Championship season against Portsmouth at Elland Road.
The match will take place the weekend of Saturday, 10 August at 12:30 BST.
Leeds United's 27-year-old Spanish midfielder Marc Roca is in advanced talks with Real Betis over a permanent deal, after signing for the club on loan last season. (Football Insider), external
Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column
Image source, ReutersLeeds United will go to Germany for a pre-season training camp in July - however, the club has asked supporters not to travel to follow the team.
"Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond control of the club, we have recently been informed that any friendly matches played in Germany have been ordered to take place behind closed doors," said a club statement.
"We understand that supporters will be frustrated at this news, as we are equally as a club. We have explored all possible avenues - however, it has not been possible to overturn this decision.
"As always, we would like to thank you for your commitment and dedication, but in light of the above, we kindly ask supporters expecting to see Leeds United in pre-season training or matches not to travel to Germany."
The club added that it is in discussions about potentially streaming coverage of any matches that Leeds play during the trip.
BBC Radio Leeds' Adam Pope said: "This will be disappointing to the Leeds United supporters who always travel in large numbers wherever pre-season has been held.
"Already the reaction from some on social media is: 'Why not play in a different country?'
"As I understand it, the German authorities and police will be stretched after hosting Euro 2024, so the order has been given to not allow fans to attend the friendly matches next month and hence dates and potential opponents have not been released at this stage."
Image source, Getty ImagesOn the latest episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Simon Rix discussed the centre-back position at Leeds United.
Their options for next season are not yet set in stone, with long-serving Liam Cooper is in talks about extending his stay at Elland Road, while Austria international Max Wober could potentially return to the squad after spending last season out on loan.
Buchan said: "We all know how Leeds want to run tight on profit and sustainability - if Liam Cooper does decide he's got a few more years of playing in him and gets some game time somewhere [else], then they need another centre-half coming in. But if you've got Wober there, you don't. They don't need to go and spend the money, it's already factored into their profit and sustainability calculations. So it does make sense.
"But if the player [Wober] doesn't want to be there and thinks he can play at a higher standard, that's such a tricky one for them to work out. The club can just say 'no, you're not going anywhere', but we all know player power is absolutely huge these days."
Kaiser Chiefs bassist Rix added: "I guess with Wober, leaving it a few weeks gives him the chance to assess, from the player power point of view, if Leeds are making the moves to make him think they're going to get in the Premier League next year.
"Leeds is a good bet in many ways. If you've had an average season in the Bundesliga, who is he going to get snapped up by, and is playing one year in the Championship with Leeds to get back in the Premier League a gamble worth taking?
"I think we need two centre-backs. We need to replace [Joe] Rodon and Liam Cooper. Going out in the summer to buy two decent quality centre-backs is hard when you've got arguably one already in the building."
Borussia Dortmund are interested in Leeds United's 18-year-old midfielder Archie Gray. (Bild - in German), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesJack Harrison believes he has "a lot more to offer" after his return to Everton on loan from Leeds United was confirmed.
The 27-year-old winger, who spent last season on loan with the Toffees and scored four goals in 35 appearances, is heading back to Goodison Park for the 2024-25 campaign.
Harrison told Blues club media: "It's brilliant to be back. Everton is a great club, there is a fantastic group of lads here and I'm excited to get started again with a full pre-season of training.
"There are a lot of reasons for wanting to return to Everton. I think the club in general - the fans, the staff, the manager, my team-mates - everyone made me feel really comfortable right away and thats somewhere you want to be as a player. It's a great place to play football.
"The other thing is I know I have a lot more to offer. That's extra motivation for me to go back and prove to myself and to Everton Football Club that I can do more on the pitch. This season I'll be able to have a full pre-season and hopefully hit the ground running."
