Leeds United loan watch: Manager sacked, familiar issues resurface & transfer obligation looks likely
A look at how Leeds United’s summer loan exits have got on at their new clubs.
Leeds United have enjoyed an impressive start to their 2026/27 campaign, entering the first international break unbeaten in five Premier League games. The Whites drew 0-0 at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday and will spend the next three weeks fifth in the table.
The upcoming break will allow Leeds to reflect on their start to the season while also providing an opportunity to check on a handful of summer loan exits. Daniel Farke waved a temporary goodbye to five first-team squad members during the recent window, plus teenage star Harry Gray.
Below, the YEP takes a look at how those summer loan exits have got on at their new clubs.
Lucas Perri
Perri joined Torino on loan with the Italian side holding an option to buy, but it’s been a difficult start for the Brazilian. He’s started all four games since making the move to Turin but is yet to keep a clean sheet, with some familiar problems rearing their head again.
In a 2-1 win against Fiorentina, Perri conceded first after a Mateo Pellegrino shot from 25 yards somehow went through his grasp. The following weekend, his distribution came under scrutiny after a loose pass out led to the first goal in a 2-0 defeat at home to Roma.
In a 1-1 draw at Bologna on Saturday, Perri was again criticised for mistakes in possession. There has already been some debate as to whether Diego Mascardi, who started the season in goal for Torino, should replace the on-loan Leeds man.
Sebastiaan Bornauw
Bornauw joined Hamburg on loan last month and they too have an option to make his deal permanent. The centre-back got off to a decent start in Germany, making his debut in a 3-0 DFB Pokal win over SC Verl, but two Bundesliga appearances have both ended in defeat.
Bornauw’s most recent outing came in a humiliating 5-0 defeat at home to Mainz earlier this month, a game in which he played the full 90 minutes but picked up a muscle injury. The 27-year-old has been unavailable for Hamburg’s last two matches.
Hamburg hope to have Bornauw back available after the three-week international break when they travel to TSG Hoffenheim. He recently told a supporters’ group meeting he ‘fought hard’ to secure a return to the Bundesliga.
Largie Ramazani
After a season at La Liga outfit Valencia, Ramazani dropped back into the Championship to join promotion hopefuls Burnley on loan with an appearance-related obligation to buy. The winger has got off the mark with one goal and one assist in five league appearances.
Ramazani’s first assist was actually a lovely defence-splitting pass for Zeki Amdouni in a 1-1 draw at Wrexham. The following weekend, he opened his goalscoring account for the Clarets with a nice left-footed finish, albeit in a damning 3-1 defeat at Swansea City.
The Belgian’s new club have endured a miserable return to the Championship, failing to win any of their first eight games and currently sitting rock-bottom with four points from eight matches. Head coach Nicky Hayen is already under serious pressure and could be sacked.
Willy Gnonto
Like Perri, Gnonto moved to Italy, joining Fiorentina for the season on deadline day with an option to buy. His debut actually came in that 2-1 defeat against his former teammate’s Torino side, after which head coach Fabio Grosso was sacked.
Fiorentina have gone three unbeaten since and Gnonto has featured in all three, twice coming off the bench either side of a first start in a 3-0 Coppa Italia second round win over Pisa. And the 22-year-old opened his account in that game with a simple finish from around eight yards out.
That goal wasn’t enough to earn Gnonto a first start in Serie A, however, with the winger most recently coming off the bench in a 1-1 draw against Napoli on Sunday. The on-loan Leeds man recently admitted last season at Elland Road was ‘not very positive’.
Joel Piroe
Of the six main loan exits, Piroe has certainly enjoyed the best start since his move to West Ham. The Hammers have an obligation to buy the striker if promoted from the Championship and it currently looks likely that it will be triggered come May.
Piroe has featured seven times in the Championship for West Ham so far, starting five games and already registering three goals. The Suriname international scored on debut, albeit in a 2-1 defeat to Charlton, before finding the net in wins over Derby County and Wrexham.
Those goals have helped West Ham kick on after a slow start to the season, with four straight league wins taking them top of the Championship earlier this month. But they fell back down to second following Sunday’s 2-2 draw at fierce rivals Millwall.
Harry Gray
After an encouraging first ever loan exit to League One strugglers Rotherham in January, Gray joined Sheffield Wednesday for the 2026/27 season. Regular football hasn’t been as forthcoming this time round, albeit mostly due to a concussion-related absence.
The 17-year-old came off worse after a nasty clash during Wednesday’s Carabao Cup defeat to Wolves, missing three games before returning off the bench against Wigan earlier this month. He was a second-half substitute again at home to Stockport last weekend.
Gray is yet to open his account for Wednesday but will hope for a return to the starting line-up in the future. Wednesday are currently second in League One but the teenager will miss Saturday’s trip to Stevenage after being called up to the England Under-19s squad.