Leeds may be ready to plan for life in the Premier League soon but according to Phil Hay they are yet to sit down with Gaetano Berardi to discuss his future.
What’s been said?
The 31-year-old is the only senior player permanently at the club whose current contract expires at the end of the season, but currently, it is unclear whether the Whites’ are keen to keep ahold of him.
Of course much of that could depend on which division the club will be playing in, as there could be doubts about Berardi’s ability to step up a division, but there may be other factors at play also.
Phil Hay has responded to a fan’s question in a Q&A for the Athletic regarding Berardi’s contract situation and the actions, or lack thereof, that the club has undertaken.
Here is what the journalist had to say on the matter:
“The last time I asked (which was recently), there had been no talks with him about an extension.
“A while back I was told that he and his partner were quite keen to return to Italy so this might not all be on Leeds’ terms but given the way Bielsa spoke about him after the Huddersfield win, you’d think that Bielsa would like him to stick around next season.”
That admission shows the player could also hold a decisive card in deciding whether he stays beyond this season.
A lack of game time with 11 league starts this term may mean that Berardi wants a move to play more often, while the appeal of his native Italy could be difficult to turn down, even if Leeds are promoted.
Need for more quality
Leeds are in a prime position to return to the Premier League but even if they fail to obtain that goal they will need to regroup in the summer and look to strengthen once again.
Berardi has played his part this season but he has also come under significant criticism at times, while his limited starts show Bielsa has preferred other options over him.
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He is also the wrong side of 30, which makes this summer the ideal time to thank the defender for his service and let him leave, as his mistakes in the Championship may become even worse in the top division, and Leeds could suffer as a result.
The Whites may need multiple defensive additions due to the fact Ben White’s loan expires at the end of the season, but Bielsa would be placing a lot of trust in a player who has five red cards for the club if he renewed his contract – perhaps too much trust.
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