In hindsight, Leeds United should never have let go of these 4 ex-academy players | OneFootball

It looks set to be an exciting campaign for Leeds United in the second tier this season, with the Whites expected to be vying for promotion under two-time Championship winner, Daniel Farke.

The summer transfer window will likely dictate whether or not Farke can clinch a third promotion to the Premier League, with Leeds overseeing a serious exodus of senior players - the majority on loan into Europe - and looking to rebuild around those that remain at Elland Road.

Given the club's vast financial resources, there was always likely to be something of an "aggressive" approach to Leeds building their squad in the hope of making their latest EFL stint a brief one.

The Whites have been forced into being aggressive in the market, and have required players to offset those losses, and have recruited well in the window to bring in quality, with Ethan Ampadu, Joel Piroe, Glen Kamara, and Djed Spence perhaps the best picks of the bunch for the Whites.

However, there are a number of young players on Leeds' books who have come through their academy set-up, who will be hoping for more first-team chances this season in the Championship and plenty of game time.

Famously, Leeds have tended to afford their young players opportunities, from Archie Gray in every game so far this season, to the likes of Alan Smith, James Milner, and Jonathan Woodgate in the past.

The Leeds academy is famed for producing talent, and with that in mind, we look at four players that they should never have let go of in hindsight.

Kalvin Phillips

A player Leeds fans dubbed 'The Yorkshire Pirlo' for his midfield displays under Marcelo Bielsa. Phillips' rise through the ranks for Leeds is well-documented, with the academy graduate joining Leeds in 2010 as a 14-year-old.

The England international went on to play 234 times for the Whites, earning himself a £45 million move last summer to the Premier League champions, Manchester City. However, it simply hasn't worked out as a move for him since crossing over to Lancashire.

The 27-year-old has played just 22 times since the start of last season despite City's treble win. He retains his status as a hero in the Leeds area with his own mural in the city centre, but the move hasn't suited either Leeds or Man City, with the Whites facing relegation in the season Phillips was sold, could things have been different fir both the player and the club if Phillips stayed with Leeds?

Charlie Taylor

A player who has simply never been properly replaced at Elland Road is up next, with Taylor the last quality left-back at the club. Taylor had also been linked with a return to Elland Road this summer, having played 104 times for Leeds before leaving for Burnley in 2017, scoring three and assisting a further 13 during his time with the club.

The 29-year-old is still with the Clarets, and has spent the majority of his time at Turf Moor in the Premier League, justifying his move away from Elland Road in 2017 by forging a decent career in the top-flight.

Since he has left the club, Leeds have had Barry Douglas and Junior Firpo as the club's primary specialist options at left-back, and neither have been able to hold down that position, mostly due to injury. Leeds have instead had to use makeshift options such as Stuart Dallas and Ezgjan Alioski, who are both considered wingers primarily, proving he should have been kept in hindsight.

Lewis Cook

A lot was thought of Lewis Cook when he was first breaking through at first-team level at just 17 and he probably hasn't quite reached the potential most saw in him, in part due to injuries.

He amassed 85 appearances for the club in just two seasons, earning himself a move to Bournemouth. However, persistent issues have hindered the 26-year-old from reaching the ceiling most saw at Elland Road.

He has almost made 200 appearances for Bournemouth in seven seasons, though, and has been capped by England during that time. With more expected of him, could he and Leeds been better off retaining his services? Would his career have reached higher levels in West Yorkshire?

Tom Cairney

Despite being born in Nottingham, the 32-year-old joined Leeds as a boy in 1998 and played in Leeds’ youth set up until the age of 16, before eventually being let go to join Hull City.

Cairney has since gone on to amass a huge number of appearances at both Championship and Premier League level, and is one of the academy products that truly got away from Leeds.

Not only that, but he had a habit of scoring against the Whites for the likes of Blackburn and Fulham in particular. They will surely have since come to regret the decision to release Cairney as a teenager, having seen what he has become.