Now Taylor could be the next departure
Thursday, 28th Jul 2016 20:37 by Tim Whelan

It now looks likely that Charlie Taylor will be the next in a long line of academy products to leave the club, with Burnley, Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion all showing interest.

Taylor’s contract has another 12 months to run, but we would run the risk of losing him for nothing in a year’s time unless we can get him to extend his current deal, and that doesn’t look like happening any time soon. We would be entitled to compensation for Taylor if he joined another English club next summer, but FIFA rules allow 23-year-olds to move abroad for no fee, and Taylor will reach that age in September.

Massimo Cellino has already accused the defender and his agent of refusing to respond to requests for talks, and chief executive Ben Mansford told BBC Radio Leeds on Tuesday night that nothing has changed in the last few days. “I think it’s right to say that at this moment in time Charlie doesn’t want to extend his current deal with us. That’s a fair and honest report as to where it’s at.”

And to add to the difficulties in negotiating with Taylor, his agent is Colin Pomford, who has already clashed with Cellino over the transfer of another clients, Sam Byram, when Pomford was irritated by Cellino’s comment that his client thought he was too big for our club.

Taylor’s reluctance to commit his long term future to Leeds shows just how difficult it is to hold onto the best of our young talent when Premier League clubs get involved. With the new TV deal now coming into effect, even the lesser top flight clubs can offer wages that we will struggle to match.

The prospect of playing for Burnley, Boro or WBA seems to have turned Taylor’s head despite the fact that none of them can be said to be a bigger club than Leeds United, and until we can get back into the Premiership the chances are that we will continue to see the best of our young talent heading the same way.

And while Leeds have reportedly been chasing Icelandic right back Haukur Hauksson, we might need to prioritise getting a new left back instead.

Photo: Action Images

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