Leeds United put contract ball in defender's court but 2021 reduction is factor amid Ligue 1 talk
Leeds United have put the ball in Junior Firpo's court when it comes to his Elland Road future but there is no progress on an agreement as free agency looms.
Firpo's Leeds contract is up at the end of June, four years after he joined the club from Barcelona to play Premier League football. Though he has suffered mixed fortunes, including injury woes, a relegation and Wembley heartache, Firpo became a wildly popular figure with fans thanks to his offensive output en route to the 2024/25 Championship title. The defender scored four goals and contributed 10 assists from 30 starts as he largely put his previous fitness problems behind him to become a promotion hero for the Whites.
Firpo has been the subject of reported interest in France from Ligue 1 side Lyon who will play Europa League football next season, and AC Milan are said to be monitoring his situation. There is also expected to be attention from Spain, where he enjoyed early career success with hometown club Real Betis before his move to Barcelona.
As for Leeds, the YEP understands an offer was tabled with terms that would represent an uplift on what he earned as a Championship player following the 2023 relegation but a reduction on the wage he enjoyed when he first arrived from Camp Nou in 2021. Leeds sought to control their costs with relegation wage reductions built into contracts and exit clauses that a number of senior players exercised when Premier League status was lost, though Firpo elected to stay for the promotion battles that ensued.
Junior Firpo Leeds stance
Speaking to the YEP after the top flight return was secured he reiterated that he and his family were happy in West Yorkshire.
"As I said before - Leeds, I've been here four years now, four seasons, and my family love it here, I love it here," he said. "My kids have grown up learning to do everything here. The city is great. I think I have a pretty good relationship with the fans at the minute. And obviously it is not a thing that I can say, that the last time in the Prem was good. I know it wasn't good, but people need to know a lot of things. They just see me perform, but they don't know the amount of injuries that I was getting. And every time that I was recovering, I was straight back into the starting XI. This is not healthy for a player. The amount of times that I had COVID, I was in and out, and I feel like the situation in the club wasn't as good as it is now. So I think in this position now it is much, much different. Also, it might be something that I would like to do, you know, going to the Prem and playing at a good level to say that I'm Prem-proven and let people know this. But as I said let's see what happens, I don't know what's going to happen but I just wanted to say this."
Besides the finances on offer at Leeds and elsewhere, another barrier potentially standing in the way of a continued relationship is the length of contract he could be offered by other clubs. Firpo is still only 28 but the Whites would not be expected to commit to another four-year deal.
There is also no update yet on the future of Sam Byram, whose deal at Elland Road will also expire at the end of this month. A favourite of Daniel Farke, the defender played more football over the course of the past two seasons than anyone expected or hoped for when he returned to his boyhood club after an injury-ravaged last few years. Byram started 16 times and came off the bench on 20 further occasions in the league for the Championship title winners, following 24 starts and nine substitute appearances in the 2023/24 campaign. The 31-year-old has made it clear he would love to stay to help Leeds try and survive in the Premier League.