Leeds United are expected to say a number of permanent farewells this summer and one could be nearer than most with a pair of clubs hovering.

Isaac Schmidt’s stint at Elland Road has not worked out and will come to an end this summer. The expectation is that the 26-year-old makes a permanent exit from the Premier League club just two years into a four-year contract. Schmidt signed from Swiss club St Gallen in the summer of 2024 for a fee of around £2.5m but made just 14 appearances - a dozen of which were in the Championship - before being sent out on loan for the entire 2025/26 campaign. The attacking full-back will leave without starting a single league game for Daniel Farke.

Schmidt spent last season in the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen and was in and out of the side, starting six league games and coming off the bench a further 13 times. He scored on his debut but was unable to contribute any more goals or assists as his loan club avoided relegation by six points. The German side declined the chance to make it a permanent move.

The YEP understands that reports in Switzerland of transfer interest in the defender from FC Basel and Young Boys are accurate and that Leeds anticipate a permanent parting of ways this summer. Basel and Young Boys finished fifth and sixth in the Swiss Super League’s Championship group last season and were unsuccessful in their bids to earn European football.

Schmidt was joined at Werder Bremen last season by fellow Leeds loanee Max Wober, but the 28-year-old defender’s season was almost completely wiped out by injury. He made two Bundesliga appearances for Werder Bremen, who again opted not to take up the option to make Wober their player permanently. He too is expected to leave Leeds this summer, though the situation may be more complicated given his lack of involvement last season and injury issues. The player himself recently told DAB Der Audiobeweis: “So far, relatively little [discussions on the future]. I'm pretty sure I won't be the most sought-after player at Leeds United anymore. That much is clear to me. We'll see how things develop.

“I'm assuming I'll return for pre-season training as normal,” he added. “And I think after an injury like that, you simply need training sessions with the team, friendlies where you get that feeling in your body again that you're fit, that everything's working, and that everything's holding up. So it's really important for me to participate in preseason training again. And then we'll see what happens next, what Leeds’ plan is, what's happening in the transfer market. Things can change drastically in football. So I'll just take it as it comes.”

Wober exercised his relegation release clause to go out on loan after Leeds dropped out of the Premier League in 2023, but returned for the 2024/25 campaign. A pair of knee surgeries kept him out of action for a significant amount of time and he managed just eight league appearances as the Whites escaped the second tier.

Harry Gray’s move from Leeds to Sheffield Wednesday is all but done and due to be confirmed in the next day or two, while Leeds continue to pursue Southampton midfielder Shea Charles and consider him a priority target for the summer window despite as yet being unable to land him with their opening two bids.