Leeds banter 8

01 Jul 2026 07:06:59
So if you’ve all seen the report I’d guess you’re as confused or pee’d off as I am.

The official line is we had to sell Pascal by 30/ 06/ 25 to comply with 25/ 26 PSR requirements!

So that's the narrative they are spinning to the fan base, is it?

If that were true then why the hell were they trying to sign JSL for upto £40m in January?

All lies aren’t we, yet again.



I see this summer as being

We tried FC again.

Some of the statements and decisions seem idiotic.

Why are we thinking of spending £30m on a keeper? 🤯

They say we have £80/ 100m summer budget.

We need
A keeper
2 x LCB
1x LB/ LWB
1x10
1x 9.

01 Jul 2026 09:48:23
I was thinking the exact same, Dave. Something doesn't quite add up when you think about the JSL and now Struick deal?

01 Jul 2026 11:02:44
They have a plan, it is what it is. It hasn't, and won't change, based on a speech they've announced after they've sold a player.

It makes sense to sell a player for X and announce it doesn't help us financially, as it's only making sure last year's books work, as opposed to yeah, it's great we got X; it'll help us spend more on players this year.

Most clubs will then want an extra digit or 2, knowing they have money.

01 Jul 2026 11:48:40
The point being made was, if we'd signed Jsl for even, say, 35 million, we would need a few more sales to get in line with PSR.
Gnonto, Piroe or Rama would have to be sold asap. Two of the three, anyway.

01 Jul 2026 12:49:51
Yes, you are right, Corkey, we would have had to sell more, or different players, to be compliant. Maybe Amps, for example. I'm not sure what the difficulty is here, understanding?

01 Jul 2026 13:18:06
Corky Alf, that was my exact point.

From the club, why say anything other than Pascal refused a new contract and wanted to leave?

They constantly trip themselves up all the time.

It's made me massively lower my expectation for this transfer window.



Let's hope it's not a repeat of the last time we were in the Prem and we dropped the ball badly and failed to kick on after a decent first season.

01 Jul 2026 14:21:49
Agree above. Except love. Their vocal and sums don't add up. They are out and out lying. If we'd bought Larsen would mean more desperate sales. And was the supposed 100 kitty before or after struik sale. That's Americans doing what they do best. bull.

01 Jul 2026 15:29:10
The club have said in their statement that survival was the priority, and, if achieved, it would require player sales to comply with financial rules. Conspiracy theorise all you like, but the explanation given makes perfect sense. All you have to do is pay attention.

01 Jul 2026 23:09:06
They have stated quite clearly, for those that care to listen, that the new rules mean we actually have fewer options with the transfer budget this year than last year. They also said we would have to sell more players this year than last year.



I suspect that it is likely any new recruits will be earning far more than those departing, making squaring the circle harder this year.

01 Jul 2026 00:17:14
Just finished watching France v Sweden and it's given me an idea.

We sell all of our current squad (the lot, all 25/ 26 of them) .

We buy the entire French squad.

We win the Premier League by Christmas, plus the League and FA Cup etc.

We break every scoring record in the book in doing so.

We qualify for the Champions League and are gifted a spot at the next World Club Championship.

There are, unfortunately, a couple of major flaws in my idea -

We would bankrupt the club as well as the entire 49ers Enterprise (several times over) simply trying to buy those players.



And secondly, the amount of financial rules on over-spending we would break would see us start the following season in the 10th or 11th tier of English football!

But my God it would be worth it - what a team! The frightening thing is in the second half especially, Sweden didn't really do anything wrong! The French were just that good!

I do hope there's no one from Man City reading this because they could probably afford to buy the French squad and would never be found guilty of breaking any rules in doing so. :)

01 Jul 2026 06:52:59
France were clearly the better team and deserved to win, but they also got very lenient treatment from the Dutch referee. I counted at least 3 incidents, which, to my untrained eye, merited the award of a yellow card.

01 Jul 2026 07:35:07
Swedish defenders were shocking. Stood there like IKEA wardrobes!
Get stuck into em!
England v France Final??

01 Jul 2026 08:56:14
Can't see England getting past Mexico in the Azteca to be honest. Hope we do, but they have lost 2 of 89 in that venue.

01 Jul 2026 10:07:29
This WC is utter Ben White. Commercialism has ruined this tournament for me, and I have watched practically none of it.
Uzbekistan & Iran in World Cup??

Once, there was a time it was the best teams in the world, now it's ruined, sadly.

01 Jul 2026 10:53:27
How come Mexico have managed to work it that they play every game up to the last 16 on home turf, all bar one of them at the Azteca?

01 Jul 2026 12:51:00
France are truly next level. The team to beat, imo. Another flaw is that it probably wouldn't meet the home grown quota.

01 Jul 2026 14:24:11
France are next level, Alf. Extreme quality. It would be a major shock if they don't stroll this. Uzb have the best goal in the tournament, in my eyes, Chris. There have been many quality strikes, mind.

01 Jul 2026 14:38:14
JR, isn't that called home advantage? See WC 66 and EC96?

01 Jul 2026 15:30:31
Host nation, JR. Canada recently became the only host nation to play a game away from home soil, I believe.

30 Jun 2026 20:18:11
For me, Côte d'Ivoire v Norway was the best match so far. Two evenly matched teams neither 'parking the bus' but both trying to win by playing football. Well done Norway, and commiserations to Côte d'Ivoire.

30 Jun 2026 21:25:44
Ivory Coast no?
Those elephant killers should not be allowed to change their name.

30 Jun 2026 21:59:48
It's the same name, just in French - right about the Elephants tho.

30 Jun 2026 22:31:56
Did they not try to change their name years back? To lose the ivory bit?

30 Jun 2026 22:56:19
They were originally a French colony, and got pissed off with the use of the English version of their name, and so decreed that only the French version was to be used. The meaning is the same, so clearly they feel no shame about their historic elephant slaughter.

01 Jul 2026 12:52:59
Yes, all countries should be forced to use the name we decide, in English. Bustards - how dare they?

30 Jun 2026 15:48:54
Daizen Maeda "hints" he wants to leave Celtic, according to Sky Sports. I'd be in for in him. Maybe £25 million plus Piroe?

30 Jun 2026 19:27:17
You have got to be joking. Transfermarkt values Maeda at £13M and Piroe at £10M, so £3M plus Piroe would be about right if we wanted to do a deal. Maeda has done OK in a second rate league in 25/6, but DCL has done as well at a far more demanding level. I'd hope we could do better.

01 Jul 2026 07:09:01
They rejected £20m from Wolfsburg last summer. He now has a year less on his deal, so I'd say £10m + Piroe.

If Piroe, oh, and Celtic are open to that deal.

29 Jun 2026 23:56:07
Just watching the Germany Paraguay game and the Paraguay keeper looks impressive. Good feet, good command of his area and good distribution. Worth a cheeky bid?

29 Jun 2026 20:06:03
What is it with Leeds United players in major tournaments?
Tanaka absolutely shocking when he came on and responsible for Brazil's winner. Gotta feel for the guy.

29 Jun 2026 20:23:15
A real knock to his confidence, losing the ball in the build up to the winner.

29 Jun 2026 20:35:22
Not sure he was shocking, Corkey. It was a high tempo game, and it takes time to get up to speed. He lost the ball, but to be fair, Japan spent the second half giving the ball away. Brazil were going to score at some point, be it in normal time or extra time.

He was the man of the match v Sweden.

29 Jun 2026 21:14:35
He was also MOTM v Tunisia.

29 Jun 2026 21:18:37
Ani, I'm a big Ao fan, but he was poor in his 20 minute appearance. He gave the ball away four times, and the final time cost his country the match. Don't get you mentioning the Sweden game, as tonight's game is the conversation. I don't wish to sound heartless, but his tears after the match showed a lack of character and confidence.

29 Jun 2026 21:55:30
Corkey, I must have missed all the posts seconds after the Sweden game praising Leeds players at major tournaments, given how well he played.

Likewise Gudmunson's excellent first game.

They have an off day or make a mistake, and folks are falling over themselves to post about it.



I'm sure he feels terrible, but he shouldn't feel any worse than the four statues watching Martinelli put the ball in the net.

29 Jun 2026 21:28:49
Corkey, did AO do something to you in a previous life. Give the lad a break. There have been worse plays from worse players during our regular season and you don't jump on them as hard

They all cry now. They all are astonished when they miss, and they all roll around the ground when they get touched anywhere near their head - state of the times, bring back '70s footie when men played the game.

29 Jun 2026 22:40:26
Ani, I haven't got a clue what you are talking about.
Ian Harte, David Batty and Gary Mac, previous Leeds players who have effed up at tournament finals, and now Tanaka. Maybe I should have been clearer with my point?

30 Jun 2026 08:17:21
Thing with Tanaka is, he always seems to struggle to get to the pace of a game when he comes on as a sub. He's way better starting games. I'm sure last night will have set him back a lot, he's already said he struggled mentally last season.

Personally, I'd cash in while his stock is quite high; there are lots of that profile of player out there. Don't get me wrong, I like AO and rate him, but given his high PSR potential and all this, I'd sell for £25/30m.

30 Jun 2026 11:38:14
AO is better in slower games where he has more time and space. He is also better suited to an attacking role - he isn't a DM. At the end of the day, I love him to bits, but he does lack the quality to get to the very top, which is why Daniel Farke prefers others.

29 Jun 2026 15:02:59
Loose links from an Italian site that we have interest in Lloyd Kelly of Juventus, valued around €30m.
27 year old formerly of Newcastle,
Left Footed centre back/ left back.

29 Jun 2026 05:28:15
Struik fee 15 plus add ons. Deal in my sleep needs to get work experience at Brighton.

29 Jun 2026 07:41:05
Looks like it's 15 mill plus 3 mill add ons. An absolute stinking deal for Leeds.
Southampton are looking for 30 for Charles, who, like Struick, has one year left on his contract, but unlike Struick, has never played top flight football.
Maybe it's a case that Brighton were the only club who came in for him, which would explain the low fee?

29 Jun 2026 07:53:00
That's surprising, Corkey, given his age, he's left-footed and the interest in him 12 months ago. Spurs were amongst those, but they seem to have looked elsewhere.

29 Jun 2026 07:57:15
Fellas don't believe all you read.
We are known to keep things in-house. The initial story of £20m came from an in house leak. This lower figure comes from Sly Sports, who are very often wrong.
Personally, I believe the original £20, but at the end of the day, Struijk wants to leave and only has a year left.


He is not our best CB. I think so many forget so many mistakes and limp-leg challenges over the years. Pascal is very replaceable.

I'm more concerned that we might pay £30m on a Championship midfielder if reports are to be believed.

29 Jun 2026 08:12:31
Agree, Dave. Pascal, good bless him, was very often at fault this past season - always waiting for his next mistake.

He has served us well, and I wish him all the best, but there are definitely better out there.

We need another centre back signing this summer like Bijol.

29 Jun 2026 08:56:38
The fact is we have basically given him away. That's a Championship defender price. Regardless, if anyone else is interested, haven't we got like over 2 months of the window left? Senseless panic sell. Albeit for an average player.

29 Jun 2026 11:18:14
Maybe they wanted to get the deal over the line early, so as to show potential targets that there is a ready made space waiting for them.

29 Jun 2026 11:29:32
I think £15m is too cheap. £20m ok with add ons, due to him being out of contract this time next year.

29 Jun 2026 14:01:56
Pascal is 29 now, injury-prone, and has wanted to move for a few seasons - he was asked to stay in the past, and did so, so we promised him a move to a club with Euro football if an offer came in.

He's also a defender.

Charles is a completely different case in terms of position, injury record, ceiling, and age - the two are not comparable.

If the figures quoted are real, then we got a good deal.

29 Jun 2026 14:15:10
Sorry Alf, Pascal is only 26, not 29, and, by my recollection, has not had a noticeably exceptional injury history. The rest of what you say, I don't take issue with; I just want to set the record straight.

29 Jun 2026 14:24:24
A lot of what you say, Jr and Alf, is utter never mind the.
Very little is realistic.
Spin doctors.

29 Jun 2026 14:30:59
Get your facts right before you start lecturing.
He is 26 years old.
"He was asked to stay previous seasons and did so." What absolute tosh! I'm trying to picture the scene. Farke.. "Please please stay Pascal." Struick.. "Ok boss." The mind boggles.

29 Jun 2026 15:15:25
21/22 - hip injury missed 6 games
23/24 - groin injury missed 27 games
Last season hip injury missed 2 games

Hips are suspect. That's around 16% of games missed since breaking through.

Yes, sorry, 26, I hit the wrong key on my keyboard, but still not up and coming any more was my point.

29 Jun 2026 15:18:15
Cork, such agreements happen all the time in football. Isak very publicly was upset last season, as such an agreement was reneged on by Newcastle in the midst of the Liverpool transfer saga.

29 Jun 2026 16:08:51
I do find it amusing, the faux outrage at the price for Pascal, given that 75% here describe him as "deadwood" and that we "should get rid."

I would say ~£20M is a good price for deadwood [not that he is of course].

Trent went for £8M with 6 months left on his contract. Pascal, who, without argument, is nowhere near the same player, is going for more than twice that for an extra 6 months.



Good deal, in my opinion, though I, for one, am sad he is going.

A couple of months ago, when the season ended, I am pretty sure those playing fantasy transfers suggested £12 - 15M was a good deal.

{Ed001's Note - Trent didn't have 6 months left, they paid that so they could play him in the CWC, he was in the last month or so of his deal.}

29 Jun 2026 17:14:26
Exactly, ani4ni. People seem to just get outraged for the sake of it. If we had kept him another year, and he left for free, they would all be complaining about that as well. 🙄

29 Jun 2026 18:57:42
I do wish people would get the facts right before posting.

Don't believe 75% wanted Pascal gone, especially at 15 million. I always said we should keep him unless a silly offer came in, say 30 million. It's gonna be extremely hard to replace him at the price we are getting for him.

29 Jun 2026 19:56:21
We'd have been lucky to get 30-35m with 3 yrs on his contract.

30 Jun 2026 11:39:25
It would have been even harder to replace him next year with the funds we get after he leaves on a free.

30 Jun 2026 13:20:33
Quick Google says we paid £10 mil for Rodon, £16 mil for Jaka. Both are, in my opinion, better than Struijk.

It's not an overly expensive position to fill, unless you are talking world class centre backs. If the £20million rumour is true, it puts him, according to (Transfer Market) , as the 150th most expensive centre back ever.

Yes, prices have been and are rising quickly, but, as I say, unless you are talking world class, there are many cheap, average centre backs out there.

28 Jun 2026 21:45:39
Hayden Hackney was Championship player of the year last season. Despite an initial flurry of rumours, he's not gone anywhere. Everton have, allegedly, offered £12m, which had been rejected.
There's been a good transition of midfielders from the Championship to PL in recent seasons - Olise, Eze, Wharton, etc.
We're looking at Charles but the price is overvalued. Is Hackney a better alternative?

29 Jun 2026 12:48:55
25m is reportedly Everton's latest offer.

29 Jun 2026 14:02:34
£25m has been accepted by all accounts.