Three contract dilemmas Leeds United must solve after Ethan Ampadu four-year deal confirmed
Leeds United have tied their captain down for another four years and can now look elsewhere in the squad.
Leeds United have agreed their first deal of the summer in the form of a key contract extension.
Speaking to the YEP and other local media in London on Thursday, Whites chairman Paraag Marathe revealed a new deal had been agreed with Ethan Ampadu. The Leeds captain’s previous terms were due to expire in 2027 and although the club had a one-year extension option, they felt it vital to secure the long-term future of one of their most important players.
Ampadu’s contract extension presents a brilliant start to another big summer but Elland Road chiefs have plenty more big decisions to make on the future of current squad members. Below, the YEP looks at three more contract dilemmas Leeds must look to solve ahead of next season...
Karl Darlow
The Welshman’s situation is more urgent than most, including club and country teammate Ampadu, with a contract due to expire in a matter of weeks. When Leeds signed Darlow on a three-year, low-cost deal in 2023, few expected him to be coming towards the end of those terms as first-choice in the Premier League.
But that’s exactly what Darlow has become, the 35-year-old stepping up for the second consecutive campaign, this time replacing Lucas Perri whose errors against Manchester United and Newcastle cost him the No.1 spot. He’s been excellent since coming in too, his reflex stop against Wolves nominated for Premier League save of the season.
Those performances have put him in a strong negotiating position, as has the ongoing uncertainty over Lucas Perri and near-certain exit of Illan Meslier. There might well be interest in the experienced shot-stopper, particularly given his homegrown status, but regardless of whether Leeds enter the market for a new goalkeeper, retaining Darlow seems sensible.
Pascal Struijk
Like his midfield captain pre-extension, Struijk has a contract running until next summer but his future feels more uncertain. The Dutchman was almost ever-present last season, starting 33 Premier League games with only Ampadu and defensive teammate Joe Rodon playing more top-flight minutes. He also moved seamlessly from back-four to back-three left-sided centre-back.
Should Struijk decide against signing a new contract this summer, Leeds will have to sell or risk losing him for free in a year’s time - a scenario which simply cannot happen for a club now looking to trade. The defender joined for next-to-nothing in 2018 so would generate significant profit, with left-footed ball-playing centre-backs always in demand.
But again like Ampadu, Leeds will surely be minded to try and keep their Dutchman given his unique skillset in the squad and leader-status as vice-captain. Daniel Farke does not have another left-footed centre-back in his ranks and replacing Struijk with the budget in hand would prove a really difficult task.
Brenden Aaronson
American Aaronson is about to enter the final 12 months of a five-year deal he signed when joining from RB Salzburg in 2022, with Leeds paying around £25million at the time. It’s been a rollercoaster period for the attacking midfielder who struggled in relegation, moved out on loan, returned for a Championship title win and contributed to a 14th-place Premier League finish.
Despite being Leeds’ joint-second most productive player last season with four goals and five assists, Aaronson still divides opinion among the fanbase. But one opinion that’s clearer than most is that of Farke, whose trust in the 25-year-old has been unwavering through good times and bad.
Like Struijk, if Leeds are to sell Aaronson then now is the time. He’s got a year left on his deal and is coming off the back of his most productive campaign - which could be boosted further by a strong home World Cup with the USA. But as with all others in this list, he can provide stability and ensure the work-rate that kept Leeds up doesn’t disappear.