Leeds United loanee 'not in plans' of current club as promotion-winning ex-Whites boss outlines play-off hope

Leeds United’s season has been extended for at least another two games after they missed out on automatic promotion to Ipswich Town. A 2-1 defeat at home to Southampton on the final day condemned Daniel Farke’s men to third place and they will now face the German’s former team, Norwich City, in the play-off semi-finals, with victory over two legs setting up a meeting with either the Saints or West Brom at Wembley.

United now face a month of relative uncertainty, with those in charge at Elland Road needing to put transfer plans in place for the summer without knowing which league they are planning for. Work will still be going on behind the scenes, however, and the YEP has rounded up some of the latest stories to come out of Elland Road ahead of the massive trip to Norwich next week.

Kristensen decision

Rasmus Kristensen looks set to return to Leeds this summer amid reports that he will not extend his stay at Roma. Italian journalist Nicolo Schira reports that the right-back is not in manager Daniele De Rossi’s long-term plans and there is no intention to extend the temporary move or make it permanent.

Kristensen was one of several Leeds players to force an exit from Elland Road last summer, activating a release clause in his contract that became active following relegation from the Premier League. The Danish international joined Diego Llorente in Rome but has failed to consistently impress, making just five starts since De Rossi’s appointment as manager on January 16.

Schira reports that Kristensen will now leave Roma when his loan deal expires but it is unclear what Leeds plan to do with the out-of-favour defender. There have been suggestions in reports regarding other loanees - namely Marc Roca and Max Wober, on loan at Real Betis and Borussia Monchengladbach respectively - that failure to go up would see the same players able to force another loan exit.

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Grayson’s play-off hope

Former Leeds manager Simon Grayson is desperate to see Patrick Bamford fit and available for the start of the play-offs next week. Bamford has been out of action since the 4-3 win at Middlesbrough due to a bruised knee which has affected other parts of his leg, and the forward has been dearly missed.

“You talk about Patrick. Sometimes players are more appreciated when they are not actually in the team than when they are,” Grayson told BBC Radio Leeds following Saturday’s defeat. “What I am saying is people don’t see sometimes what Patrick can do to the team.

“They will see missed opportunities and things like that, but they don’t see the runs that he makes in the channel, the hold-up play or the closing down. So, again, I hope we get him back, get Dan James back because Dan is a positive outlet on the wing with good pace and positivity.”