As we predicted last week, Charlie Taylor will become the latest home-grown youngster to leave the club, and the search for a new left-back has already begun.
Taylor got his agent to hand in a transfer request on his behalf today, to confirm the news that has been on the cards for some time. The blame game for his departure has already begun, with Cellino claiming Taylor’s representative had failed to respond to a request to start discussions about a new contract, while the agent said that no such request had ever been made.
Cellino was already contemplating whether to sell the player now to avoid the risk of losing him for nothing in a year’s time, but today’s development looks likely to have made up his mind for him. At least the transfer request it means that Taylor won’t be able to claim a loyalty bonus resulting from the transfer, which he would have been entitled to if it had been the club’s decision to sell him while he was still under contract.
Burnley, Middlesbrough and West Brom have already been linked with the 22 year-old, and a few other clubs have been mentioned in the press today, including West Ham and even Man United. Wherever Taylor ends up, the riches of the Premier League will ensure that he is able to at least double his salary, while we’ll have to hope that Leeds get a decent fee, and that Gary Monk is allowed to re-invest it in the playing squad.
A new left-back will obviously be the first priority now, given our lack of cover in that position, and we’ve already been linked with Benfica’s Alexis Scholl. Scholl is a Belgian Under-19 international who spent last season back in his own country, on loan at Gent, but without making a first team appearance.
According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, Gent decided not to exercise their option to convert the loan into a permanent transfer. Scholl has played just 68 minutes of senior football so far, just three substitute appearances for Benfica’s B team, who play in the second tier of Portuguese football.
So at best he will have to be regarded as one for the future, and while he could still live up to his early promise, Leeds will need someone with a bit more experience for the coming season and we haven’t got long to find another left back.