Leeds United saw 14 players depart in the summer, with only two sold: Rasmus Kristensen to Frankfurt for £7.7 million and Sam Greenwood to Polish side Pogon for £3.5 million. The other 12 players left without a transfer fee, including ¹ ²:
- Free Transfers:
- Junior Firpo: Left the club after his contract expired
- Josuha Guilavogui: Departed without a fee
- Patrick Bamford: Ended his tenure at Leeds
- Darko Gyabi: Moved on to new opportunities
- Loan Departures:
- Mateo Joseph: Joined another team on loan
- Largie Ramazani: Temporarily switched to a new club
- Max Wober: Went on loan to another team
- Isaac Schmidt: Joined a new club on a temporary basis
- Charlie Crew: Left on loan
- Joe Gelhardt: Moved to another team on loan
- Returns to Parent Clubs:
- Manor Solomon: Returned to Tottenham and subsequently went on loan to Villarreal
- Joe Rothwell: Completed a permanent move to Rangers after his loan ended
Rothwell’s move to Rangers was seen as a positive signing, especially with his experience playing under manager Russell Martin at Southampton. However, his form has dipped significantly since his debut against Panathinaikos in the Champions League qualifiers. Chris Sutton expressed sympathy for Rothwell, citing the intense pressure and toxic environment at Rangers ¹ ²:
“Joe Rothwell, a really decent playing career at Leeds, Blackburn. He’s really been affected by expectation, moans and groans. It’s a difficult place to play; the environment is toxic.” Sutton also mentioned that Rangers and Celtic operate on a different level compared to Leeds, with immense pressure that can affect even the best players. Rothwell’s struggles are compounded by the team’s poor performance, including failing to win any of their five Premiership outings and getting knocked out of Champions League qualifying ³.
