"Not been in the good books of Farke" - Charlie Cresswell transfer claim made with Leeds United exit possible | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Leeds United’s Charlie Cresswell is attracting transfer interest ahead of the summer market opening later this month.

According to Alan Nixon, clubs in France and Germany, such as Toulouse, Hannover and Hertha Berlin, are casting an eye on the defender.

Cresswell struggled for game time last season, featuring just five times in the Championship for Daniel Farke’s side, with only one of those appearances coming as a start (all stats from Fbref).

The 21-year-old spent the previous campaign on loan at Millwall before returning to Elland Road in 2023.

But he was unable to convince Farke that he was ready to earn regular playing time, as the Whites fought for promotion back to the Premier League.

Time for Leeds to cash in on Charlie Cresswell

FLW’s Leeds fan pundit Kris Smith believes that Cresswell is good enough to continue playing a role for the club next season.

However, he has cited the club’s financial fair play concerns as a major reason why now might be the right time to cash in on the centre-back.

“Given that it’s going to be quite hard for us to retain Joe Rodon for another season, we are going into the next campaign lacking right-sided centre-halves,” Smith told Football League World.

“Charlie Cresswell has clearly not been in the good books of Farke for one reason or another, on or off the pitch, but we can’t deny that he’s more than good enough for Championship football, even if it’s cover for someone else that we bring in.

“However, in terms of FFP, the club should really be considering offers for someone like him, given he wants to play and he’s not playing.“He represents total profit for us as well, given he’s from the academy, and we didn’t pay a fee for him.

“I’d like to see him get more opportunities in pre-season, but I also, in the same breath, wouldn’t be against selling him given that we could get a decent fee for someone that is quite replaceable at that price.”

Charlie Cresswell's importance to Leeds United

Cresswell enjoyed a positive stint on loan at Millwall during the 2022-23 campaign, featuring 28 times in the Championship for Gary Rowett’s team.

However, injuries prevented him from playing a further role for the Lions, as they narrowly missed out on a play-off place.

His return to Elland Road has not gone as well as he would’ve been hoping, failing to earn a place in Farke’s first team plans.

Cresswell’s contract runs until 2027, but a lack of game time could open the door to a 2024 exit this summer.

Cresswell departure would suit Leeds

Leeds need to raise funds this summer due to their financial situation, which makes the sale of Cresswell more likely to happen than not.

The fact he has come through the club’s academy system only strengthens the likelihood he will be sold, as that money can be put down as pure profit in the books.

This will allow the Whites to ease the pressure on their compliance with the rules, while getting rid of a player that Farke obviously has no use for.

While Cresswell is a Championship calibre player, there is simply no reason to keep someone the manager isn’t inclined to play.