Loan-to-buy agreement should open the door for two key Leeds United transfer decisions

Leeds United are set to part ways with Rasmus Kristensen on an initial loan deal as he closes in on a move to AS Roma, joining Diego Llorente in the process.

Leeds are yet to get up and running with an incoming signing this summer, with a lot of the transfer focus so far being on the potential exodus after relegation

A key departure expected to be confirmed very soon is that of Rasmus Kristensen to AS Roma, as it was revealed last weekend that he was closing in on a move.

This week, Roma Today have reported that the defender is set to join Roma on a loan deal, with an option-to-buy included in the agreement – £8.5million is said to be the fee required in the summer of 2024.

Here, we look at two knock-on effects that Kristensen’s exit should have at Elland

One right-back leaving on loan means that we only have two options left, and both of those have just a year left on their current contracts.

Luke Ayling penned a one-year extension earlier this year, meaning we can expect him to leave in a year, and that leaves Cody Drameh as the only right-back that looks like they could be a part of the side for the foreseeable future.

After being cast out for two seasons in a row in January, the club need to do everything to show him that he’s a crucial part of the side from now, and that starts with a new deal.

With Kristensen leaving and Ayling’s importance to the starting lineup waining, Drameh should be prioritised now.

Losing Kristensen means we’re down a right-back on face value, but the final four games of the season under Sam Allardyce pointed out that the Dane could have actually been a very worthwhile option as a right-sided centre-back too.

However, with both him and Diego Llorente heading to Jose Mourinho’s Roma, and Robin Koch trying to get his agent to link him to every club in Germany and England, it leaves a shortage in the middle.

Charlie Cresswell will see this as a real opportunity to nail down a starting spot at his boyhood club, but we need more depth than that.

A new centre-back should be a major focus in the summer window to improve the defence.