Leeds United can now focus on the next four months without the stress of the transfer market after a long and manic summer.
The time between now and January will expose which areas need bolstering and who perhaps needs a move away. Leeds may well arrive in the new year knowing that another offensive player is still needed.
They have currently maxed out their PSR limits and the signing of Harry Wilson would have meant them needing to sell in the winter. The club are not presently looking at January as a window of reinforcement but there may ultimately be a necessity to act depending what position Leeds are in.
It would seem a loan arrival is more likely in light of finances but even that would potentially eat into the wage bill and loan fees are becoming a more common theme in today's world. So players might have to be moved on.
Some squad members may otherwise be merely hoping for more game time to bolster their development or future hopes. Here are four players who could be offloaded in January as things stand.
Illan Meslier
From next week, January or the summer period before June 30 post-season are the only chances Leeds have in getting a fee for Meslier. The goalkeeper could technically still move to a club in Turkey or Saudi Arabia with their windows still open but it seems unlikely.
With the Frenchman not set for any game time between now and the new year, his stock will plummet deeper than it already has. His market value would have been low anyway due to him now being in the final year of his contract.
It seems clear that Meslier has to go in January, particularly in light of the club’s PSR situation. He could be the difference between a small loan fee being paid for a much-needed player and not.
Brenden Aaronson
We will have to see with Aaronson, but right now his prolonged game time chances look minimal. He has got a home World Cup to think about next summer and while he got back into Mauricio Pochettino’s US squad for the Gold Cup, he had initially been snubbed for March’s games.
Being a Premier League player will help his stature when it comes to making the cut but if there is a lack of game time, the player himself might have questions. Ideally, the club won’t want to allow him to go given he is the only specialised number 10 and can play on the flank.
But the American has not been selected for this month’s USA friendlies which is yet another reminder about what is at stake. Perhaps the 49ers will have sympathy given their roots.
Sam Chambers
At 18, Chambers has bags of time and there is no pressure for him to produce immediately. But having had a taste of senior football last season, he may be spying more before long. This won’t come at Leeds.
Right now, being around Premier League first-teamers will do him the world of good, as it will for Harry Gray. However, competitive action in academy football can only take you so far and first-team outings on loan somewhere can only help.
Of course, coaches will be keen not to do this ahead of time and this is perhaps why he’s been kept in-house for now. For this reason, it would be a shock to see 16-year-old Gray to be loaned out at any stage. But Chambers did show promise in his senior stints last term and over the summerr, so it is now about building on that.
Rhys Chadwick
Chadwick was named as last season’s Under-21s player of the year and was taken on tour by Daniel Farke this summer. He clearly has talent, as seen in his displays. The 18-year-old will not get a look-in in the United senior side so it seems the more likely next step is a loan away.
Like Chambers, it is wise to keep him at Thorp Arch and continue his promising development there for now. Given he has yet to make his competitive senior bow yet, the club may be slightly more cautious with Chadwick than Chambers - but keep on his trajectory and a lower-league loan would not be a total surprise.
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