Leeds United defender 'wanted' by European trio could be sold for just £3m
The academy graduate has been in and out of the Leeds United squad with Daniel Farke no stranger to the matter.
Charlie Cresswell could leave Leeds United this summer with reports suggesting a trio of European sides are lining up a move for the defender.
Cresswell has endured another season on the fringes of first-team football at Leeds, with just one of his five Championship appearances coming from the start. The 21-year-old has played just seven minutes of senior football since the turn of the year and has been in the unfortunate position of competing for a starting place with the ever-present Joe Rodon.
Rodon has since gone back to parent club Tottenham Hotspur but a return to the fore seems unlikely for Cresswell and journalist Alan Nixon reports that a summer exit is on the cards. French side Toulouse are thought to be weighing up a move alongside German second tier outfits Hertha Berlin and Hannover 96.
The report adds that Leeds will command an initial fee of just £3million for Cresswell, whose value has dropped since an impressive loan spell at Championship side Millwall last season. Offers for the 21-year-old were thought to have been rejected both last summer and in January, but an exit is now looking likely ahead of next season.
There was hope Cresswell could build on that spell at Millwall upon returning to Leeds but the arrival of Rodon saw him fall down the pecking order and poor performances when called upon did little to help. The academy graduate’s last start came in the Carabao Cup defeat against Salford City and Farke only introduced his defender for one minute during a five-month spell over winter.
The centre-back was left out of the squad in January amid reports he was open to finding more regular football elsewhere, with Farke revealing concerns over the youngster’s attitude led to his absence from the first-team. Even with injuries mounting in his area, Cresswell remained out of the picture and Farke was honest in his assessment of the situation.
“The ball is in his court,” Farke said of Cresswell around the turn of the year. “We use January, you either find a solution, you want to play for a different club or you’re happy to be number four [centre-back] and committed and be patient. Then perhaps to be centre-back number three, then the starting line-up, but if you think you have the right to start ahead of Rodon or Struijk, it’s not possible. He won’t be picked by myself until he’s mentally ready or there’s a different solution.”
After a brief absence, Cresswell was reintroduced into the squad with Farke insisting the England under-21 international has affirmed his commitment to helping the club’s promotion push, but minutes were still negligible as Rodon remained the first-choice. Leeds will likely attempt to bring the Welshman back this summer, whether on loan again or permanently, but central defence remains a priority area to strengthen regardless and it is unlikely Cresswell will be promoted to regular starter.