This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
As the January transfer window beckons, fans become more and more excited about the prospect of new arrivals at their club.
However, they also have to keep one eye on potential departures as players’ contracts enter the final few months before they’re able to move for free.
Leeds United have a number of key players whose contracts expire next summer, but we have just been given an insight into the club’s priorities when it comes to getting these deals done.
Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
What’s been said then?
In a Q&A session for Leeds Live. Beren Cross revealed where Leeds currently are in terms of negotiating new contracts for four of their current playing staff. He said:
“Klich is the next one to be signed off. There is intent to get something done for Pablo too. Berardi seems to be the last man standing when it comes to 2020 expiry dates. Not heard anything on Alioski.”
Mixed bag
This update is a real mixed bag.
The fact that Mateusz Klich is seemingly set to be signed to a new deal is great news as he’s started every single league game under Marcelo Bielsa and is creating the highest number of opportunities, 2.3 each outing.
Find out what happened when a world-record-holding freestyler attempting skills with the worst pair of boots available on eBay in the video below…
Likewise, hearing that the club are wanting to get Pablo Hernandez tied down to a new deal is a promising development as the two-time Player of the Year winner is arguably the Whites’ most important player – something elevated by their run of just two wins from their previous five matches when he’s been out injured.
However, his updates on Ezgjan Alioski and Gaetano Berardi paint a more glum future as their situations don’t look like being resolved in the near future.
With rumours circulating that Ben White could be on his way back to Brighton, it may be key to get Berardi signed onto a new deal, and with Alioski becoming Bielsa’s first-choice left-back in recent weeks, tying him down to updated terms could be equally important.
All in all, this is a mixed bag, and only time will tell what happens with all four of these players.