Manager says ‘world-class’ player is ‘closest’ to leaving amid reports Leeds want him
With just one week remaining of the summer window, the Whites are reportedly aiming to get a few more players on board.
Leeds have already got the signing of Joel Piroe over the line, the Dutch forward joining from Swansea on Thursday night.
Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara is one player who the Whites are apparently trying to sign in the coming days.
“Thursday and Friday this week are viewed as really key days for Leeds with a bid for Kamara ready to be lodged,” Dean Jones said on GiveMeSport.
Now, Rangers manager Michael Beale has admitted that Kamara is “the one that’s closest” to leaving, amid links with Leeds.
‘Losing a very good player’
Beale appears to have resigned himself to losing the Finland international this summer, although it’s not yet an absolute certainty.
“We’re close to a couple maybe going out the way,” BBC Sport quote him as saying. “We may respond, depending if anything comes out of the ordinary.
“Glen’s the one that’s closest. We had an honest conversation when I first came back into the club [in December] about Glen’s future and where he saw it.
“We were expecting Glen to move this summer – it was his wish as well. There’s no issues with that.
“He has to obviously find the right club, it has to be the right valuation for everyone, because we would be losing a very good player.
“When you’re very honest on the player’s side that he sees his future elsewhere then, as a coach, you have to move in a different direction. I wasn’t in the mood for persuading anyone to play for Rangers.
“Glen’s been an excellent signing over the time he’s been here. If nothing moves this week then Glen knows he’s here until January – then it’s a different playing field altogether.”
Piroe, Ethan Ampadu, Karl Darlow, Sam Byram and Joe Rodon are all players who’d be able to do a job in a Premier League team.
Likewise, Kamara is a ‘world-class’ player who has impressed at the highest level. He has played in the Champions League, the Europa League, and at Euro 2020.
Once all the new Leeds players gel and the team finds its feet in the second tier, it’ll be exciting to see how they fare over the course of the season.
The Whites youngsters are back in the country’s top tier of Academy football following last season’s promotion as play-offs winners and Michael Skubala’s side have started the new campaign with impressive away wins at Brighton and Manchester United’s under-21s. A first home clash of the new Premier League Two Division One season now presents itself against West Ham in a 7pm kick-off under the Elland Road lights.
Here, we will bring you all of the early team news upon landing at LS11 followed by confirmed line ups and then match updates and analysis. The game presents a particularly big chance for United’s youngsters to stake a claim for first team involvement for Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup second round clash at Salford City.
Five teams have started the new PL2 D1 season with two wins out of two but not West Ham for whom last Friday night’s 2-0 triumph against visiting Sunderland followed a 3-0 reverse at Arsenal on the opening weekend.
