Leeds United Make A Big Decision On 25-Year-Old Winger: What’s The Best For The Whites? | OneFootball

When the Leeds United squad boarded their flight to North America this week, one name was missing from the manifest. Largie Ramazani was left behind at Thorp Arch. It was a calculated move. Unmistakable, really. Spanish outlet Marca broke the news that the 25-year-old winger has been excluded from the club’s stateside tour, signalling to anyone paying attention that Daniel Farke has effectively closed the door on the Belgian’s time in West Yorkshire.

Leeds United drop strong hint on Ramazani future with preseason omission as Valencia interested

Valencia are waiting in the wings. Having hosted Ramazani on loan throughout the 2025/26 La Liga campaign, the Spanish outfit want him back at the Mestalla, this time permanently. Their CEO, Ron Gourlay, initiated contact with Leeds chiefs back in June to sniff out a realistic asking price.

Money is the sticking point. Leeds naturally want to claw back a hefty chunk of the £10 million package paid to Almería back in 2024, particularly with a 15 per cent sell-on clause owed to the Spanish side hanging over the deal. Valencia, operating on a far tighter budget, want a bargain. They have floated the idea of another season-long loan with a non-mandatory option to buy. Leeds should shut that down instantly. A second loan leaves all the risk on Elland Road balance sheets while Valencia reap the rewards without dropping a single euro on a permanent transfer fee.

The numbers tell an odd story

Ramazani’s spell in Spain was decent enough. Playing under Carlos Corberan on the left wing, he notched six goals and one assist in 22 top-flight outings, logging 1,224 minutes on the pitch. A return of six goals from a wide player in a transitional Valencia side is a solid foundation. Yet, his 6.62 average match rating on FotMob points to a player who still drifts. He can vanish for 70 minutes, only to pop up with a flash of brilliance.

That was always the conundrum in West Yorkshire, too. During Leeds‘ Championship title-winning campaign, Ramazani made 31 appearances but started a paltry nine times. Bizarrely, his underlying metric, xG plus xA per 90 minutes, was the highest of any player in the entire division. The data screamed elite output. Farke’s team selections said something else entirely. The German manager simply never trusted him to do the dirty work off the ball.

Why a clean break makes sense for everyone

VALENCIA, SPAIN – DECEMBER 19: Largie Ramazani of Valencia CF reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Valencia CF and RCD Mallorca at Estadi de Mestalla on December 19, 2025 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Farke has made up his mind. With a Premier League attacking contingent boasting Noah Okafor, Jack Harrison, Brenden Aaronson, Willy Gnonto, and Dan James, Ramazani sits miles down the pecking order. Keeping an unhappy player around to rot on the bench helps no one.

Leeds ought to hold firm for a fee in the region of £8 million to £9 million, ideally with a future sell-on percentage baked into the contract. If Valencia refuse to pony up, Leeds need to put feelers out across the rest of La Liga and the Bundesliga. There is a buyer out there for a 25-year-old winger with proven top-flight goals. Elland Road hierarchy just need to stop messing about and pull the trigger.