Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter were the big-money exits from Elland Road in the summer, while Glen Kamara, Charlie Cresswell, Marc Roca, Diego Llorente and Kris Klaesson were sold.
Five went on loan in Sam Greenwood, Sonny Perkins, Darko Gyabi, Rasmus Kristensen and Jack Harrison. The latter two were allowed to go on loan again as the clause was active for another summer window.
Harrison has really struggled at Everton this season, having failed to catch the eye towards the end of last season. The Toffees chose to re-sign him, but Harrison has gone eight months without an Everton goal.
Last season, Denmark right-back Kristensen went on loan to Roma but was immediately left out of the Italian side’s Europa League squad. He needed a change and this term has joined Robin Koch’s Frankfurt.
Despite his woeful form at Leeds and then being a rotational option at Roma, he has been in superb form in Germany. Playing nine games since joining, Kristensen even scored in the Europa League last week.
On Sunday evening, Kristensen even helped his side stop the likes of Harry Kane as Frankfurt secured a late 3-3 draw against Bayern Munich. Koch and Kristensen lasting the entire 90 minutes to win a point.
On Monday evening, Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg said Frankfurt have already made a decision on the permanent clause that was included in Kristensen’s loan, they are ready to activate it.
He said: “Frankfurt want to sign Rasmus Kristensen on a permanent deal. Already decided as SGE bosses are totally satisfied with the 27y/o. Eintracht want to trigger option to buy of €10-12m (£8.4m-£10m).”
While Max Wober and Brenden Aaronson have returned to the fold after a year on loan in Germany, going on loan twice ends any glimmer of a chance of Kristensen or Harrison ever playing for Leeds again.
Kristensen stats for Frankfurt since joining club:
Clearly, Kristensen is shining in Germany. He will want the move to be permanent, Frankfurt will have been very impressed and Leeds will want to sell the former Salzburg man simply because it didn’t work.
Ultimately for Leeds, it is going to be £10m extra in the coffers without losing a player in their current side. More wages off the wage bill and given he was bought for £10m, it means no Financial Fairplay hit.
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