With news this week that one of Leeds United’s main targets, Derby County striker Matej Vydra, had apparently shocked the club during personal talks by upping his demands and that deal seeming to fall by the wayside, Leeds fans are already expressing their displeasure at how the season seems to be panning out for them.
The appointment of Marcelo Bielsa as manager certainly gave rise to some hopes and added to Vydra we had names like former Hull City striker Abel Hernandez being linked, but that deal too seems to have stalled over the finances involved even though he’s a free agent having left the KCOM Stadium over the summer.
Phil Hay of the Yorkshire Evening Post has been giving fans an update today on social media and whilst there wasn’t a lot of good news in some of the answers he was providing – he believes a deal for goalkeeper Jamal Blackman is still close – the bit that caught my attention was when he described Vydra and Hernandez as ‘unchanged’ which he further explained wasn’t to mean they were over, it simply meant the door was open but the club were definitely looking at alternatives first before making a final decision.
Whilst that might give some fans hope, it does tend to imply it is going to be a long summer for supporters.
Blackman can't be far away. Does look like that will go ahead. Still waiting for other deals to materialise. Vydra etc all unchanged.
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) July 12, 2018
they won't completely close the door on Vydra/Hernandez in case their demands change (bear in mind that neither seems to have a huge amount of interest at present). But they're looking at alternatives now. They don't have much choice given the timeframe to the start of the season
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) July 12, 2018
And that’s a fair comment. Hernandez seems to have a few nibbles but there aren’t many clubs clambering to pay big money for Vydra AND entertain his newly raised demands. The player may need to re-think his strategy.
— I Hate Leeds (@ihatelufc) July 12, 2018
he's the Championship's top scorer. And as ludicrous as it sounds, a weekly wage of £50k-plus is no longer out of the question in this league.
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) July 12, 2018
Having edged away from Vydra and Hernandez the chances of us going back into match their requests remains incredibly low, so with time left in the window, if other clubs baulk as we did at their demands if they lower them as deadline day nears something might happen.