'That is a fact' - Leeds United loanee's blunt summer transfer admission after £7m 'agreement'
On-loan defender Rasmus Kristensen has impressed away from Leeds United.
Rasmus Kristensen has outlined his desire to leave Leeds United permanently and sign for loan club Eintracht Frankfurt.
Kristensen has enjoyed an impressive spell on loan in Germany as one of Eintracht Frankfurt’s most consistent performers in their hunt for Champions League qualification. The right-back has two goals and two assists in 23 league games and looks to have found a home, with recent reports emerging over a permanent switch.
Leeds and Frankfurt initially agreed on an option to buy believed to have been worth around £12million but multiple reports from Germany have since suggested that price will come down. Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg suggested a deal worth just short of £7m had been ‘agreed in principle’ with the YEP’s understanding being that talks are ongoing.
Rasmus Kristensen on his Leeds United future
The expectation is Kristensen will leave Leeds permanently this summer, with little appetite among supporters for his return to the Elland Road picture. And that feeling appears to be mirrored by the Danish international, who spoke to his country’s media following a 1-0 Nations League play-off first-leg win over Portugal.
“It has been quite a few seasons with many club changes and ups and downs, and I have actually done well, but it has also perhaps been a bit of a difficult situation,” Kristensen told Tipsbladet. “And then things have gone less well and things like that, so it has been nice to be in a place where things have only gone well.
“I’m still owned by Leeds, so that’s the scenario I have to work in. That is a fact. Yes, I would like to [stay at Eintracht Frankfurt], and I have not hidden that either. It is a place where my family and I are happy. I hope that we can find a solution to that, but if not, then you have to be happy somewhere else.”
Kristensen transfer latest
As things stand, everything is pointing towards a permanent move to Frankfurt for Kristensen, with all parties seemingly keen on reaching an agreement. The defender has made no secret of his desire to stay on board at the Bundesliga club and performances this season have been impressive as he fits well into a wing-back role.
Leeds’ decision to insert a permanent clause into Kristensen’s loan would suggest they are also keen on a permanent exit, but 49ers Enterprises will not be pressured into accepting a cut-price deal. Promotion would put them in the driving seat regarding talks and should allow them to at least break even from an accounting perspective.
Having amortised the defender’s £11m transfer fee over a five-year contract, Leeds had essentially committed to spending £2.15m each year and three years down, they have pair off roughly £6.5m. Therefore, any sale over £4.5m would prevent Elland Road chiefs from booking a loss on the on-loan full-back.
Your next Leeds United read: Daniel Farke’s strongest-XI for promotion race when everyone is fit