Revealed: Leeds talks imminent as £10m+ new deal on the cards

Founder & Managing Director AUTHORITY Former chief correspondent at Evening Standard, Goal and Press Association with nearly three decades in national, regional and digital news and sports journalism. Wayne directs the network’s news strategy and high-level operations. FOCUS Editorial direction for the 11-site network and newsroom management. THE BRIEF Wayne oversees the network’s editorial standards across the network. He provides the final sign-off on all headline scoops, ensuring content across all platforms meets the standards required for a high-velocity newsroom.

Published on:

25 Aug 2019, 6:30 am

By Wayne Veysey and Pete O'Rourke

Leeds United will imminently re-open contract talks with Kalvin Phillips as he holds out for a £40,000-a-week deal, Football Insider can reveal.

The Championship leaders are to resume discussions with their star man after he knocked back the club's opening offer earlier in the summer.

A Leeds source has told Football Insider that the midfielder, 23, wants a package that will lift him to the same salary level as Kiko Casilla and Patrick Bamford.

Football Insider revealed earlier this summer that goalkeeper Casilla and centre-forward Bamford are the two top earners in Marcelo Bielsa's squad after landing massive deals in the last 12 month.

This has created an imbalance in the United dressing room and it is one that Phillips is keen to address if he is to pen an extension.

The lifelong Leeds fan and academy product wants a five-year deal that would be worth in excess of £10million, a not insubstantial sum for a Championship club.

Football Insider broke the news early last month that the midfield anchorman had knocked back Leeds' opening offer following initial talks over a long-term contract extension.

Phillips has started the season as impressively as he finished the last one, with Leeds racing out of the starting blocks to secure 13 points from their first five league matches.

The midfielder has played the full 90 minutes in each of those games, as well as the League Cup win over Salford City.

In other Leeds United news, a BBC pundit has claimed first-team star will feel "humiliated" at his situation under Marcelo Bielsa.

Leeds United