Exclusive:Leeds United sent 'rare' Pascal Struijk transfer warning as contract decision looms
The Leeds United defender's future is yet to be cleared up with 12 months left on his Elland Road deal.
Leeds United have been warned of difficulty in trying to replace a player like Pascal Struijk amid uncertainty surrounding the defender.
Struijk is into the final year of his Leeds contract, a point at which big decisions need to be made by both player and club. The 26-year-old could sign a new deal and extend his stay beyond the current eight years, or seek a fresh challenge elsewhere.
Should the latter decision be taken, and given Leeds’ ambitions to be a self-sufficient trading club, they would have to cash in or risk losing a valuable asset for nothing. What’s more, Struijk essentially arrived for nothing in 2018 and would generate significant profit.
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The Dutchman is one of two big contract decisions Leeds still need to make this summer, following confirmation of Ethan Ampadu’s four-year deal. First-choice goalkeeper Karl Darlow’s terms expire in a matter of days with talks ongoing amid outside interest.
“I think stability is massive,” Leeds 1991/92 First Division title-winner Gary McAllister told the YEP via BetSelect. “Struijk and Darlow were key last season. [Joe] Rodon has done amazingly well, too.
“That link between the goalkeeper and the centre-backs is so important. I think those three in particular had really good seasons. They played a big part in keeping Leeds in the league, but also in pushing away from the bottom.”
Leeds are expected to be looking at left-footed defenders this summer regardless of Struijk’s future. As things stand, the vice-captain is Daniel Farke’s only natural option on the left of a three, with all other centre-backs stronger on their right.
Left-footed centre-backs are always a hot commodity and so are defenders competent on the ball. Struijk is both, a physically capable box defender and a huge dressing room presence. And McAllister believes finding a replacement would be far from simple - or cheap.
“They're rare. It's hard to buy a centre-back,” the former Elland Road favourite added. “There aren't many out there. Unless you've got to go and spend £50million-plus, and Leeds just aren’t in that position.”