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2 players with a big question mark hanging over their Leeds United future heading into the season’s end

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Leeds United may stay in the Premier League or go back down to the Championship this season, but some players have their futures in doubt regardless.

Despite there being 10 games left in the Premier League for Leeds, the month of April might already have some of the players assessing their futures ahead of the summer.

Javi Gracia is fighting to keep this Leeds side in the Premier League, and while his future is uncertain, he will be taking stock of the squad before the summer to see who has or hasn’t got a long-term future at Elland Road.

What is certain is that Leeds are likely to make more major changes to the squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Here, we look at two players with question marks hanging over their heads ahead of the end of this season…

Is Patrick Bamford still the main man?

This season has seen a massive debate amongst Leeds fans around who should be the leading striker, with Patrick Bamford’s all-round abilities widely appreciated, but never backed up by goals that Leeds need.

Meanwhile, the opposite narrative is there with Rodrigo, who has scored double-figures for only the second time in his career with some ruthless finishing, but has some drawbacks to his game such as his pressing and link-up play.

However, when push comes to shove, all but one of Leeds’ wins this season have seen Rodrigo score in, and that is the crux of what a striker needs to be doing – rather than being very accomplished in build-up, but unable to score often enough.

The signing of Georginio Rutter is one that needs to start bringing a return, and next season should see him become a key player.

This leaves Bamford as the player likely to fall down the pecking order, and it would be fair for him to consider his future if he’s not the main man here, because he could be somewhere else.

Do Leeds need a striker in the summer?

Yes

Yes

No

No

Who will be first-choice at right-back?

Jesse Marsch brought in a Red Bull Salzburg favourite in Rasmus Kristensen last summer and it looked a smart signing for how he wanted to play, but he has struggled in his first Premier League season.

He’s looked less imposing than he did in the Austrian Bundesliga, which shouldn’t be a shock as he’s gone from a side that are unparalleled juggernauts in their league to a side fighting relegation.

It’s led to Luke Ayling nailing down the starting spot of late, to which he’s earned himself a one-year contract extension, all while Cody Drameh has been shipped out on loan again – perhaps unfairly.

The former Fulham youngster is demonstrating with every chance that he is getting in the senior game that he deserves a shot at Leeds, but is yet to get one.

This summer, whether it’s Gracia in charge or someone else, there will be a decision to make with one of Leeds’ three right-backs, because all three can’t stay in this first-team squad.

Quiz: How well do you know Leeds United head coach Javi Gracia? Find out hereā€¦

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Leeds United season ticket holder since 2013/14, currently situated in the middle of the FA5 noise. From Pablo Hernandez to 5-1 drubbings, I've seen it all at Elland Road.