Pascal Struijk has hinted there was a transfer offer that turned his head in the summer before it was decided he would ultimately stay at Leeds United.<\/p>\n
The Dutchman is known to have received interest before the start of the season, yet said in an interview in September<\/a> that he \u201cnever doubted I wasn\u2019t going to be at Leeds,\u201d having underlined his Premier League ambition.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Struijk<\/a> recently spoke to ESPN Netherlands<\/a> about various topics, including the summer proposals that were put before him. The comments from the piece depict the centre-back offering some cryptic comments.<\/p>\n In the English transcription of the interview, Struijk says: \u201cI had some options to leave, but that didn\u2019t happen. That had to do with several parties.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom my side, there was something I would have liked to do. But the three parties: me, the club, and the other club, all had to reach an agreement in the end. If that doesn\u2019t happen, then I simply have a contract and I\u2019ll do my job.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Daniel Farke had made clear to Leeds chiefs that he wanted to keep the core of his Championship title-winning squad heading into the new Premier League season, and Struijk was one of the names ringfenced. The 26-year-old has played in all but two of United\u2019s 22 Premier League games this season.<\/p>\n Bamford\u2019s chat with Gray<\/p>\n Harry Gray earned his full senior debut in Rotherham United\u2019s 3-2 defeat to Stockport County on Saturday, having joined the League One club on loan this week.<\/a><\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cI thought he did well,” said manager Matthew Hamshaw of Gray after full-time. “He’s got bloody knees and a scratched face. He’ll have learned a lot today.\u201d<\/p>\n Gray<\/a> has gone on record stating he feels he can\u2019t learn much more from youth football and that he pushed for a loan exit this month, after scoring 11 goals in 13 academy games. But before he took the step to Rotherham, the 17-year-old reached out to former colleague Patrick Bamford for advice.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Speaking to journalist Justin Allen<\/a>, the Sheffield United striker unpacked how it unfolded. \u201cHe texted me the other day before he went on loan, asking my thoughts,\u201d Bamford said.<\/p>\n \u201cI spent about half an hour going through the options, positives and negatives, and just sent him a message of what my thoughts were and what was best for him. Obviously it\u2019s nice to be asked these things.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact he leant on me for a little bit of advice – I don\u2019t want to say it’s an ego boost, but that my opinion counts. If I can help him in any way, I will.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Bamford added: \u201cThe best thing is playing men\u2019s football. I remember all the fuss about him when he was 14 or 15. I went to watch an Under-23s game at the training ground, and I went purely just to watch him because I hadn\u2019t seen him play yet.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw what he was about straight away. It\u2019s going to be good for him, he\u2019s going to learn a lot. He\u2019s got a lot of potential and can take it as far as he wants.\u201d<\/p>\n Rutter: I didn\u2019t expect to leave Leeds<\/p>\n Georginio Rutter<\/a> says he did not expect to leave Leeds at the start of last season, stating he \u201cwas not ready\u201d to exit Elland Road. Rutter moved to Brighton & Hove Albion in August 2024 after the Seagulls triggered his \u00a340million release clause.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n The 23-year-old, who has 10 goals in 53 matches, says he felt “emotional” leaving United. Speaking to Premier League Productions<\/a>, he said: \u201cI didn\u2019t expect to leave Leeds, honestly.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember when they called me, my agent called me and said they [Brighton] paid the clause, and I was not ready. I was not ready because it was the last day of the release clause\u2026 I was not ready for this.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter they paid the clause, I said bye-bye to everybody, emotional and after that I arrived in Brighton.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n\n