The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th May) Leeds ace snubs new deal - could depart this Summer

[Ellandback1]

Good Morning. It's Tuesday 18th May, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...


Leeds ace snubs new deal - could depart this Summer

A number of clubs including Newcastle are closely monitoring the situation with Tyler Roberts, after the 22yo snubbed a long term contract that would keep the Welsh International at Elland Road until the Summer of 2026.

The versatile forward is currently under contract at Elland Road until next Summer. To many peoples surprise, Bielsa highly rates Roberts, and has instructed the hierarchy to dangle a lucrative new deal to the youngster. His current deal is nothing to shout home about. He earns £3,500 a week, making him one of the poorest paid players on the Leeds roster. It is believed the new deal is worth £20,000 a week.

Steve Bruce has seen enough of Roberts this season to want him to switch to St James Park. If he were to leave, Leeds would want in the region of 10m. Its a lot of money for someone with a year left on their contract.





Have Leeds solved their left back problem

Whilst being linked to players up and down the continent, Leeds may have identified the answer to their left back problem, a lot closer to home. Jacob Murphy has one year left on his contract at St James Park and is in no hurry to renew. The 26yo signed for the barcodes from his boyhood club Norwich City back in 2017 for 12m. Since then the former England International has been in and out of Newcastle's starting line up!

Murphy's main attribute is his speed. Sky Sports recently revealed that he had reached a top speed of 36.5km/h (almost 23mph) this season, making him not only the fastest player in the football league, but the second fastest player in the World behind Alphonso Davies by a tenth of a second.

Given his contractual status, a fee of around 6m should be enough to tempt Newcastle to sell. Burnley, Southampton, Watford and Rangers are also interested.





Leeds 3rd in latest form guide

Five wins, two draws and a loss (against Brighton) was enough to catapult the Whites to third place in the latest top flight form guide. Only Manchester City and Liverpool had a better record, though neither were unable to tame Bielsa's lads when the sides met over this very period.

If anyone had suggested at the beginning of the season that we'd beat Citeh, Spurs, Fulham and the Blades; hold our own against the red side of Manchester and the current League Champions, then destroy Burnley, even the most optimistic of fans would not have believed it.

Are Leeds still on their honeymoon period?

How much of a difference has Llorente made?

If offered Ben White in the Summer for 30m, would we still need him?

[HarryofOz]

Leeds ace?

Apart from a couple or so people, the last player I excepted to be described by Leeds fans as an ace is Roberts.

Bielsa wants him though, and that says a lot.

[rab_rant]

leads star ACE hot shot are the clickbait words used by social media

Sent from my Redmi Note 8 Pro using Tapatalk

[Irish Ian]

Leeds Ace.

I wonder if we have done all the hard work with Roberts and someone else could capitalise....

But if he wants more money I don't think we should dig top deep.

[mothbanquet]

Roberts

I think maybe Roberts has seen the writing on the wall a bit and fears his role will be more diminished next season, particularly if we sign a quality midfielder. Maybe he feels he's learned enough from Bielsa and wants to strike out while he's still young and make a name for himself.

I've been critical of him but wish him all the best if he's determined to go. Maybe with Bielsa's teachings under him he'll flourish in a more traditional role as so many other players have after being mentored by the great one.

Murphy

He's one of the better players in a poorly-managed team but I see him as a marginal upgrade at best. Also I've not see him play on the left often if at all, which is the side we need to focus on.

[Chilli D]

I remain unconvinced Tyler Roberts is PL standard so if we can get in the region of 6-10m for him we should let him go and use the money towards better players.
He may hold his own in the Burnleys and Southamptons of this world but he will struggle even more to gain a place in our team next season.
I'm actually really shocked that we have offered him a deal until 2026.
Bielsa obviously sees more in him than we do (except faaip)

[Byebyegeegee]

If we’ve offered £20000/week to Tyler Roberts then that should be more than enough for a player of his current ability. He may improve of course as he’s still only 22 but, to be fair, he’s had a lot of chances this year and imo not really grasped the nettle so, If he signs he signs, if he doesn’t and we get anything approaching £10m, then I’m not fussed either way.

Don’t know much about Murphy but his speed is interesting (yes I know a good footballer needs more than speed). What about Murphy + £4/5m for Roberts?

I know they are meaningless but, if we’d have beaten Brighton 2-0 instead of losing 2-0, then we’d have been top of those standings.

[Ron Swanson]

If we get £5m for him it’ll be an even bigger robbery than the one committed in Rennes last summer.

[WhiteRose]

Whilst Roberts will likely develop further he has not done anything really when given ample chances this year, he has his moments but in front of goal he is so poor, always does the keeper a favour putting it straight at him. I cant see Newcastle shelling out for joe Willock so maybe Roberts has been identified as a cheaper replacement.

I wouldn't say murphy is much of an improvement on Alioski so its a no from me

[mothbanquet]

I wouldn't say murphy is much of an improvement on Alioski so its a no from me

He doesn't play left at the back anyway and I've watched plenty of Newcastle games the past few seasons and can't remember him even playing LM.

[1964white]

I remain unconvinced Tyler Roberts is PL standard so if we can get in the region of 6-10m for him we should let him go and use the money towards better players.
He may hold his own in the Burnleys and Southamptons of this world but he will struggle even more to gain a place in our team next season.
I'm actually really shocked that we have offered him a deal until 2026.
Bielsa obviously sees more in him than we do (except faaip)

No goals & two assists in 30 appearances playing in an attacking role suggests Roberts is poor or average at best plying his trade in the PL, he isn't the first & won't be the last to struggle at the highest grade.

Also unsure how some of our players would cope if they left Leeds not under the guidance of Bielsa

[mothbanquet]

Also unsure how some of our players would cope if they left Leeds not under the guidance of Bielsa

Plenty of examples to draw on there mate - Alexis Sanchez, Batistuta, Crespo, Pepe, Payet, Mascherano, even Roofe has seen his career take off nicely. And I've just scratched the surface there. If you've got the raw talent - which Roberts does have - then Bielsa's tutelage will improve you as a player. I just think he's not quite got the footballing brain a Bielsa midfielder really needs to shine but I really think Roberts will thrive in a more traditional setup.

[John in Louisiana]

I think Roberts sees the writing on the wall and understands he will not be a starter next year.

I also think this is probably not about the money for him. He's only 22 years old and has another eight or ten years to make his way; if he spends the nest three or four years as a substitute, his next contract will not be nearly as lucrative as it could be were he to find a starting position somewhere else.

If the reports are correct and Roberts has turned down £20,000 per week, then we've done all we can for him. His play certainly does not merit more than that (if it merits that much to begin with). If he can get that somewhere else and play every week, then good for him and I wish him all the best.

Agree with mothbanquet that Murphy does not represent a significant upgrade. Surely we can do better in the transfer market.

Over the last nine games - fully one quarter of the season - we have been one of the best teams in the league. This has coincided with the return of players - particularly Llorente - who had been injured, and our ability to field something close to our best eleven. Next season is looking to be a good one. I know we're Leeds, but could it be time to actually be optimistic?

[1964white]

Forget about British defenders, I reckon we'll signed a European/South American LB in the summer.

[danhirons]

Roberts - 20k a week. We just be mad and him even more so to turn it down!

Murphy - not a left back, he's a right winger and not even a defender.

[mothbanquet]

Murphy - not a left back, he's a right winger and not even a defender.

An infinite source of frustration for Newcastle fans to see him played there.

[Smudge3920]

Personally I am still convinced we have yet to see the best of Roberts, one of your late bloomers if you will, the raw talent is already there. The fact he has turned down the contract dissapoints me , but if they sweeten it with bonus clauses it may do the trick. Tell him it is quid pro quo, youo get consistant and perform to the level you are capable of and we will pay you that.

Murphy...not for me, I do not see any positives.

[1964white]

He doesn't play left at the back anyway and I've watched plenty of Newcastle games the past few seasons and can't remember him even playing LM.

So that is the reason why I thought you lived in the North East

[mothbanquet]

So that is the reason why I thought you lived in the North East

I wish mate, some lovely areas up there and infinitely better than Milton Keynes...

I made a lot of lifelong Geordie mates back in the day and enjoyed following the team for football's sake, same with Portsmouth. Even better now I can look down on them all from my Bielsa-shaped pedestal.

[lufc1304]

I think Moth has come closest in nailing the conundrum that is Roberts. There's a player there, no doubt, but he is too slow in thought and execution to be a consistent level PL performer. And especially in a Bielsa team with all the interchanges that go on during the course of a game. If the Geordies want to pay £10m for him, and he doesn't want to sign what is a very generous contract offer, then it's a no-brainer.

Agree re Murphy, we can and should do better than him.