Leeds United can now start to dream of Premier League football next season after the weekend’s results and it may start to reflect how the club operates ahead of the summer window.
Leeds’ summer could have gone one of two ways. Failure to go up, and Leeds would have had to sell some of their best stars like last season to cope without Premier League TV money in the Championship.
That, and parachute payments reduce from 45% to 20% in the third year. But promotion means the club will need to invest in order to survive, Adam Pope reckons six major signings are needed at Elland Road.
But one transfer agreement has been put in place regardless of what division Leeds are in, and that is the permanent exit of one player currently out on loan at a Championship club – namely, Sam Greenwood.
Photo by George Wood/Getty ImagesPreston make Sam Greenwood u-turn after striking Leeds deal
Greenwood joined Preston on loan from Leeds last summer having spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Middlesbrough. Of course, on Saturday, Greenwood was ineligible to play against his parent club.
Former Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale is now in charge at Preston, and Ridsdale confirmed there is an agreement with Leeds to sign Greenwood permanently. Ridsdale says the numbers are all complete.
Indeed, he said it is simply down to Paul Heckingbottom and Greenwood – whether they want to press the green button to complete a £1.5m deal. Well, it appears Preston do not want to exercise the option.
The Sun’s Alan Nixon reports on his Patreon that Preston have chosen not to sign Greenwood beyond his loan in order to save cash and spend it elsewhere – like on another loanee, Kaine Kesler-Hayden.
MORE LEEDS UNITED STORIES
Sam Greenwood left in limbo – details of Leeds contract
Bought for £3m from Arsenal, Greenwood starred for the Leeds U21’s alongside the likes of Joe Gelhardt, Crysencio Summerville, Charlie Cresswell and Pascal Struijk – and clocked up 35 senior outings at Leeds.
But under Daniel Farke, he’s had no chance. Instead, he’s been ushered out on loan to Boro and Preston where he has scored 12 goals and created six more in 81 appearances for the two sides over two seasons.
Not enough to earn a permanent Preston deal, Greenwood is now left in limbo and set to return to Leeds where he has a contract until the summer fo 2026. A cut-price summer exit looks on the cards for him.