Leeds must agree Pascal Struijk deal within weeks after Ethan Ampadu news
Leeds United need to tie Pascal Struijk down to a new contract after agreeing a deal with Ethan Ampadu.
Ampadu has signed a fresh four-year deal to commit his future to Elland Road, in a sign of backing from the ownership towards Daniel Farke.
Farke has spoken out about wanting the club to match his ambitions this summer after Leeds managed to survive in their first season back in the Premier League.
Ampadu, who is Leeds’ club captain, played a pivotal role for Farke in achieving that aim, and the German will now want to keep more of his best players.
There had been speculation that the 25-year-old could depart with just one year remaining on his contract, in what would have been a big blow to the club.
Leeds have Pascal Struijk decision to make
Struijk is now the most important player in Farke’s squad who only has a year left remaining on their current contract.
Failure to tie the defender down to a new deal means they risk losing him on a free next summer.
Sources told Football Insider that Leeds were doing everything possible to keep Struijk at the club, with interest in his services from a wide range of clubs, including in the Premier League.
Struijk has spent the past eight years in Yorkshire, and may feel that now is the time for a new challenge unless he is handed a lucrative new deal.
It would be a big hole to fill in the centre of defence with Struijk having started 33 of their 38 Premier League games this season.
Daniel Farke faces losing three goalkeepers
Farke also needs to decide whether to hand out new contracts to other players like 35-year-old goalkeeper Karl Darlow.
Darlow has established himself as Farke’s favoured goalkeeper at the club, but the German now wants to strengthen in that position.
Illan Meslier’s contract also expires this summer, and it is expected that the 26-year-old will leave after Farke decided to drop him in favour of Darlow.
Sam Byram and fellow goalkeeper Alex Cairns will also be out of contract at the end of the month, with the former likely to join Meslier by leaving Elland Road to find a new club.