The implications of relegation to the Championship could be disastrous for Leeds United, as it could see a number of their most promising players depart for pastures new.
Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Leicester City has left the Yorkshire outfit dangling just above the relegation places and with fixtures against the likes of Manchester City and Newcastle United still to come, Javi Gracia’s side look to be in real danger.
Naturally, the club’s most promising prospects will be targeted by other clubs should Leeds find themselves in the second tier next season and a recent report has suggested that the influential Tyler Adams could be one to leave.
Leeds fans may well expect the USA international to move on should they go down, but the reported asking price will certainly leave them concerned, as it could see Victor Orta repeat the nightmare that saw fellow fan favourite Luciano Becchio depart for a cut-price swap deal in 2013.
Could Tyler Adams leave Leeds this summer?
According to reports from Italy, AC Milan are interested in signing the 24-year-old this summer and Leeds could be forced to let him leave for less than the £15m they paid last summer.
Since signing from RB Leipzig in 2022, Adams has gone on to make 24 appearances in the Premier League for Leeds, averaging a strong 6.74 rating from WhoScored for his performances.
This ranks him as the fourth-best player in Gracia’s squad, while no player has contributed more tackles per game, which saw him labelled a “tackling machine” by Kevin Campbell, so it is clear just how important he is in Leeds’ midfield.
His absence through injury has also been sorely felt in recent weeks, with the midfield duo of Weston McKennie and Marc Roca proving far too easy to play through, with the Yorkshire outfit picking up just one point from a possible 12, conceding 14 goals in that time.
Few could complain if Adams were to swap Championship football for Champions League football this summer but if Orta negotiates a deal of less than £15m for a player Football Transfers values at €39.6m (£35m), then it would surely join Becchio in the history books as one of the worst deals in Leeds’ history.
What happened to Luciano Becchio?
Becchio was well and truly a fan favourite at Elland Road, crashing in 87 goals in 221 appearances for Leeds before he was inexplicably sold to Norwich City by Neil Warnock.
He had contributed 16 goals and four assists in 26 Championship appearances in the first half of the 2012/13 campaign but Warnock opted to sell him to Norwich for an undisclosed fee – believed to be a measly £203k – with Steve Morison heading in the opposite direction.
Given Morison would manage just five goals in 42 appearances for Leeds, fans certainly felt short-changed by his exit.
Indeed, they would no doubt react similarly if Orta sells Adams for a similarly insulting price this summer.
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