Leeds United could offload a “very impressive” ace this summer, it has been suggested, as the Championship club plans a potentially “ambitious” move.
Leeds prepare for FA Cup clash with Norwich City
Sunday’s FA Cup fifth round match at Elland Road has all the makings of an intriguing afternoon, but Leeds will know not to take it lightly.
Daniel Farke will not only be in the quarter-finals this weekend, but will also face his former club Norwich City.
The German manager was sent off following last weekend’s defeat to Man City and has been banned from the touchline, meaning he will have to manage from the stands rather than the dugout.
Falke himself admitted it added an extra edge to an already emotional scene, pointing out with characteristic dry wit that his team could have won without him watching from the touchline.
Leeds need a distraction.
In the Premier League, they suffered back-to-back defeats to Sunderland and Man City at Elland Road, leaving Falke’s team just three points clear of the relegation zone, and the atmosphere surrounding the club is by no means calm.
A cup run will do wonders for morale.
‘I feel really sick’ – Jason Cundey slams Leeds United with ‘outraging’ rant
He didn’t hold back.
The Whites haven’t reached the FA Cup quarter-finals since 2003, but they have already beaten Derby and Birmingham (both Championship teams), so tomorrow they will add another game to their collection.
Philippe Clement’s Norwich arrived in decent form both domestically and in cup competitions.
The Canaries sit 17th in the Championship but have excelled in the competition, defeating Walsall 5-1 in the third round and West Brom 3-1 in the fourth round.
They have won five of their last six in all competitions and Clement will be desperate for another win in Yorkshire.
However, they will go into the game with a serious injury list, with up to 14 players absent from last weekend’s win over Leicester City, leaving them with just one striker available in Matthias Qvistgarden.
Leeds will obviously go home.
While all eyes will be on the cup competition this weekend, questions remain about Elland Road’s long-term prospects, particularly in the batting department.
Joe Gerhart remains on the books but continues to believe his future lies elsewhere, with Hull City reportedly planning a permanent move for the forward after a productive loan spell at the MKM Stadium.
The 23-year-old has scored 12 goals and provided four assists in the Championship this season, with Sergei Yakirović’s side firmly in play-off contention.
Leeds hint at possible sale of Joe Gerhardt to Hull City after ‘impressive’ campaign
Gerhard attracted interest from Rangers last summer and joining Hull was a great decision.
Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Gerhard is very likely to leave Leeds permanently this summer, and that Hull are ambitious and could make his stay indefinitely.
“Gerhardt is a very talented player,” Brown said.
“He’s had a good reputation for a while but he’s never really shown it at Leeds, so it’s good to see him play well for Hull.
“There’s been a lot of change at Hull in recent years and it feels like they’ve been busy in every transfer window, so it would be good to have some continuity. It would be good for Gerhard as well, because he didn’t do well at Leeds and doesn’t want to keep bouncing around on loan at different clubs.”
“He’s done very well for Hull and they want to be ambitious so I think it’s the best case for both parties to keep him and I expect Hull will want that too.”
“If that offer is right for Leeds and it has to be right for Leeds because they want to reinvest and strengthen the team, then there is a good chance that it will happen.”
Leeds are expected to demand a fair fee, and rightly so.
First of all, whether their survival in the top league is secured may determine how ambitious they approach the summer period.
But for now, all eyes will be on Elland Road on Sunday afternoon.
Tottenham fear Leeds takeover as 49ers give new chance to sign 190-goal star
He desperately needs to take action.
