This time of year, retained lists are revealed, and many Premier League clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, have said goodbye to a lot of players.
Meanwhile, it appears that the Leeds team will need to be strengthened on the right side of defense and in the middle of the back line, among other places, during the summer transfer window.
Connor Roberts has returned to Burnley at right-back, and given his immense talent, Archie Gray is expected to play in the middle of the field next season rather than as an auxiliary right-back.
Sam Byram has signed a new one-year contract, while Jamie Shackleton is in discussions to extend his term. But, practically, Byram and Shackleton will be kept at Elland Road as cover for the upcoming campaign.
Leeds also needs to add players at centre back. Joe Rodon’s contract at Tottenham has been extended for another year, and it is uncertain whether he will return to the Whites, while Liam Cooper is still in talks with Leeds.
Leeds want defensive reinforcements, and one man released by Tottenham can address both defensive concerns:
Tottenham release the ideal Leeds signing on a free transfer
Spurs have chosen to release 25-year-old defender Japhet Tanganga on a free. The England U21 man leaves Spurs after playing 50 times at senior level, but enduring a bit of an up and down 2023-24 season.
Indeed, Tanganga went on loan to Bundesliga side Augsburg last summer but failed to play due to injury and was back at Spurs in January, and then sent to Millwall where he impressed and even scored twice.
The Mirror’s journalist Darren Witcoop reports that Millwall want to sign him permanently, but Luton and Ipswich are also interested. Leeds have surely got to join the race to land “powerful” defender Tanganga.
Ipswich will have the advantage but he’s ideal for Leeds
Not only would Tanganga provide cover in two crucial areas, but he would arrive for nothing when Leeds need cash the most. The 49ers have inherited a big credit card bill that will force them to sell this summer.
Leeds United are being linked with a new playmaker ahead of the summer window but they could face competition from David Beckham and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
Beckham’s new MLS side have been making waves in the transfer window over the past couple of years, none less so than the signing of Messi from PSG in July 2023 and many of his old Barcelona teammates.
Miami currently has four stars: Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez, and Messi. He has coupled those four with developing talent as he expands the freshly formed MLS team.
With an experienced quartet in town, guided by another former Barcelona star, Gerardo Martino, Beckham’s men have focused on long-term progress by signing young players.
They are now looking to make a bid for a player who has recently surfaced on Leeds’ radar: Reggiana’s Swiss playmaker Natan Girma, who impressed in Italy’s second tier during 2023-24.
