Are Leeds’ Selling Days Really Over?

Article by Alex Schroeter

It is amazing the difference a few weeks makes, we were languishing in the bottom-half, lacking goals and confidence before a quite astounding 4-0 win against Birmingham, out of the blue. Now, we are snapping at the heels of those in the play-offs and with a new found confidence, not to mention the form striker in Ross McCormack, with 9 goals in his last 5 games. Off the pitch, GFH Capital have secured new, apparently considerable, investment for the club, in addition to tying Alex Mowatt down to a new deal until 2017.

With Mowatt’s new deal, came some real belief that our selling days may, at last, be over. Much to our frustration, we have repeatedly sold our best players whether it is Fabian Delph to Aston Villa, or Robert Snodgrass to Norwich City, and often for absolute peanuts, perhaps with the exception of Delph. However, in the summer we actually laughed off a reported offer of £3 million for Sam Byram (quite rightly!) and a bid of £2 million for Ross McCormack, which may turn out to be one of the most important moments of our season, considering his impact so far. McDermott even came out this week to express his own belief of our selling days:

“Over the years Leeds United have sold so many players - and I know all about that because it happened to me at Reading. It’s happened to Leeds over a long period of time and I know the supporters are nervous about it. But with the people we’ve got in charge now I don’t think that’ll be the case anymore, I really don’t.”

I for one, see this as extremely encouraging that McDermott has come out to make a bold statement about transfers.

Not only this, but we have started to be linked with some very good players, most recently Nathaniel Chalobah. The versatile, young defender was instrumental to Watford’s surge to the play-off final last season and is regarded as one of Chelsea’s brightest prospects. Inevitably, there is that optimistic and ever-present rumour of the return of Gradel, yet now it may be more realistic than ever, with St. Etienne wanting to sell him in January along with our apparent new found wealth.

Aside, partially, from football with the sad news of Nelson Mandela passing away, Lucas Radebe, our own South African legend, made a moving tribute to the man who had previously called The Chief “A Hero”: http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/4666/south-africa/2013/12/06/4458430/lucas-radebe-writes-letter-to-the-late-nelson-mandela

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