Leeds ready to hold talks over Anton Stach future, with sources outlining more ‘urgent’ contract priority | OneFootball

Leeds United will make a decision this summer over whether to sit down and discuss a new and improved deal with star midfielder Anton Stach, with many factors still to determine what the club will decide, though sources can confirm 49ers Enterprises do have a more pressing issue to address with regards one of his teammates.

The Whites paid Hoffenheim a fee of €20m (£17.4m, $23.5m) to bring the 27-year-old Germany international to Elland Road last summer, a fee which ultimately proved their biggest buy of a hectic summer recruitment drive.

Arriving with a pretty sizeable reputation amid comparisons to Declan Rice, Stach has more than proved a bargain signing for Leeds United, showcasing his brilliant all-round drive and tenacity in the engine room, as well as an impressive ability to score a mean direct free-kick.

As a result, calls for the midfielder to be included as part of Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad have grown louder in recent weeks, while a few mischievous rumblings have speculated that the two-times capped star could become a summer target for some sides higher up the food chain, both in the Premier League and the Bundesliga.

Furthermore, that has seemingly put the emphasis on Leeds to tie Stach down to a new and improved deal as a reward for his excellent first campaign in the English game.

However, while sources can reveal that the Whites will assess Stach’s situation in the summer, and if he needs rewarding, the club has it within their remit to do so, it is not considered an urgent priority, either.

To underline that point, TEAMtalk has been told that talks over an extension to a deal that still has three years left to run, expiring as it does on June 30, 2029, don’t sound imminent…

Leeds have more pressing contract priority in Ethan Ampadu – Sources

Furthermore, sources are making clear that all focus at Elland Road remains on the task in hand, which is preserving the club’s top-flight status for another season.

Tuesday’s hugely deflating 1-0 home defeat to Sunderland has dragged the Whites right back into the relegation mix, with the pressure building off the back of both West Ham and Nottingham Forest picking up points themselves the following evening, cutting the Whites’ breathing space to just three points.

As a result, the Whites are emphasising that all contract talks, including those with manager Daniel Farke, and other star players, are on hold for now and with the club wanting to ensure nothing distracts their leading lights from the matter in hand: survival.

In addition, sources are also making it clear that when new contract talks do open, their number one priority will be to reward skipper Ethan Ampadu with fresh terms.

The club captain – often referred to by Farke as the club’s “best player” – has just 16 months remaining on his current deal, and we exclusively revealed the news back on January 29 that the club do plan to sit down and reward Ampadu with a new and improved deal which will include a significant pay rise.

As stated, the club’s main focus, though, is on survival and, if and when that is achieved, Ampadu will be an immediate focus for 49ers Enterprises.

Even in the wake of a very unwelcome relegation, Leeds will still look to tie their skipper down…

The likes of Pascal Struijk and Brenden Aaronson are also in line for talks over their future this summer, while the club will also need to decide on goalkeeper Karl Darlow, whose current arrangement expires in the summer.

Latest Leeds news: Whites in mix for 153-goal Serie A star; angry fans turn on Farke

Meanwhile, Leeds have been listed as one of the suitors in a crowded race for a 153-goal Juventus star, who could be allowed to leave this summer, according to our sources.

However, the Whites are just one of multiple Premier League sides to have been sounded out over a potential deal, with a prospective move still having many hurdles to cross first.

Elsewhere, while we can confirm that Leeds will make a big push to sign a new goalkeeper this summer, their interest in James Trafford –exclusively first confirmed by TEAMtalk back on February 5 – looks to have suffered a setback after a Premier League rival overtook them as leading suitors for his signature.