Since relegation, a total of 13 players have left the club, including seven on loan

Leeds United are hurtling towards the close of the summer transfer window with plenty of work still to do.

In a nutshell

It’s been a difficult summer so far for the Elland Road side, who have lost a host of key names following their relegation from the Premier League.

Jack Harrison became the latest player to leave the club on Monday as he joined Everton on loan, while there is still uncertainty regarding the futures of Wilfried Gnonto, Luis Sinisterra and a number of others.

Leeds have brought in four players so far, but manager Daniel Farke knows more reinforcements are urgently needed and it could be an interesting end to the month of August.

Here’s a look at what Leeds still need to do before the September 1 transfer deadline.

Find some attackers

Leeds need to find a goalscoring forward to lead the line. Saturday’s miserable showing at St Andrew’s hammered home that fact.

Joe Gelhardt was the man asked to play the lead striker role on Saturday but he struggled to make a dent on the contest as he cut a frustrated figure. Georginio Rutter made his return from injury but playing the lone frontman role doesn’t come naturally to him and while Patrick Bamford is on the comeback trail, his injury record makes it hard to think he can be fully relied upon.

As such, Leeds are in desperate need of a number nine, while a number 10 to bring it all together ought to be high on the club’s list of priorities, too.

Two forwards are a must.

Fix up their defence

Leeds need to bolster their stock at the back, too,. Sam Byram can play on the left and that seems to be the plan for the time being, but he’s a right-back by trade.

Joe Rodon provides a degree of defensive depth, while Leo Hjelde can also play in the middle after struggling for confidence at left-back over the first week of the campaign. But, another centre-back wouldn’t go amiss alongside the left-back supporters have been crying out for for some time.

In the meantime, Farke will be keen to see his team cut out the silly errors and begin to show some reliability.

Resolve wantaway situation

Leeds United have been firm in their stance that Wilfried Gnonto will not be sold this summer but that hasn’t stopped the Italian from refusing to feature in the club’s last two games.

Gnonto missed the clash with Shrewsbury and Saturday’s trip to St Andrew’s and the less-than-favourable situation needs ironing out as soon as possible in the name of squad harmony and morale. The same goes for Luis Sinisterra, who was deemed to be ‘unavailable’ on Saturday.

Leeds legend Brian Deane said of the situation: “Got to say this, when I hear players refusing to play for their teams because they don’t want to spoil a move, for me it’s the lowest thing a player can do,” the former England striker tweeted. “It desecrates all the hard work put in by those before who had to earn the shirt and paved the way for players in now.”

Fill the club’s loan quota

Rodon became Leeds’ first loan signing last week, but Leeds have space for four more within their matchday squad and it makes sense that they fill that quota. A host of Premier League fringe and youth players will be made available in the final weeks of the window and that could provide Leeds with an easier, more cost-effective way of bagging what they so desperately need.

Secure Tyler Adams

Tyler Adams came within inches of joining Chelsea last week. The deal was all but done before the Blues pulled the plug and turned their full attention to the deals for Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.

It would be an enormous boost to the club’s hopes of promotion if he were to stick around beyond the transfer deadline.

However, reports say Bournemouth are confident of signing Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams after activating his £20million release clause, according to multiple reports.

Chelsea activated Adams’ release clause last week but walked away from the deal. Their move for Adams alerted clubs to his relegation release clause and the Cherries have now made their move. If the move goes through, it will be the 11th departure at Elland Road this summer and only heightens the need for Leeds to make a breakthrough in the transfer market.

Finalise Costa exit

Helder Costa is not part of Daniel Farke’s plans and Leeds are not a part of Costa’s. That much was made clear on Saturday evening by the head coach who outlined his expectation that the Angola international will leave the club in the final few days of the window following conversations with the player.

Costa hasn’t played for Leeds in two years having spent the last couple of seasons at Valencia and Al-Ittihad, but he returned to West Yorkshire at the start of pre-season, as he was scheduled to, and it seems both Leeds and his agent will be working on his exit.

FIFA loan restrictions explained and what they mean for Leeds United

A turbulent few days for Leeds United has seen the club’s loan situation come to the boil. Since relegation, a total of 13 players have left the club, including seven on loan.

That means that just £4million has been raised in fees, an eye-watering difference between the other two relegated sides Leicester City and Southampton who have both banked sums in the tens of millions this summer, helping them grapple with the dual challenge of remoulding their squads for the Championship and staying on top of financial fair play requirements.

Leeds have found themselves in this corner because of clauses in players’ contracts that have taken the matter out of the club’s hands, with Jack Harrison’s temporary move to Everton the latest blow delivered to a fanbase that has had to roll with the punches this summer.

Just over a fortnight of the transfer window remains but the good news – if you could call it that – is that there is a limit to the amount of players Leeds are able to ship out on loan – internationally, at least.