Bamford stays, loanee returns: Leeds’ potential 2022/23 Championship XI

Despite going five games unbeaten before losing to Manchester City, Leeds United are once again staring relegation in the face.

Everton are just two points behind the Whites with a game in hand, and if the Toffees manage to hit a bit of form, Leeds will be in serious trouble. After all, their run of fixtures is abysmal.

Of course, everyone at Leeds will be hoping the Whites can stay up, but it may now be time for some contingency planning to begin.

With that in mind, we’re going to have a look at how Leeds could line-up in the Championship next season if they are relegated.

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GK – Kristoffer Klaesson

Illan Meslier has been rated as one of the best young goalkeepers in the world in recent times, and if the Whites go down, he could be snapped up by a big club.

Kristoffer Klaesson is a ready-made number two, and his performance against Wolves in March showed that he’s more than capable of stepping into Meslier’s place if need be.

RB – Luke Ayling

Luke Ayling has been a Championship player for the majority of his career, and at the age of 30, it’s hard to see a Premier League team coming in for him this summer if Leeds go down.

Ayling has been loyal to the Whites for years, and he’s one we’d expect to stick around in the Championship.

CB – Pascal Struijk

Recently compared to Virgil van Dijk by Alan Shearer, Pascal Struijk is more than good enough to play for a top club.

However, with two years left on his deal and wages that won’t be massive, Leeds shouldn’t be under huge pressure to sell the Dutchman, and sales of Spain international Diego Llorente and Germany regular Robin Koch should open up a place in this side for Struijk.

CB – Liam Cooper

The club captain. Liam Cooper probably isn’t good enough to earn himself a Premier League move at his age, and if Leeds go down, we fully expect him to stick around and help the Whites towards another promotion push.

LB – Stuart Dallas

Leeds’ Mr Reliable, if the Whites go down, Dallas would probably have a lot of Premier League interest in any other circumstance.

Sadly though, the Northern Irishman is currently nursing a fractured femur, so he’s facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

However, he should be recovered by the middle of next season, and we expect him to play a big part in Leeds’ Championship campaign if they are relegated.

DM – Mateusz Klich

Contracted until 2024, Mateusz Klich is another we expect to stay at Elland Road if Leeds go down.

The Polish midfielder, just like Cooper and Ayling, is at a funny age where Premier League sides probably won’t gamble on him, and after years of good service at Leeds, we don’t expect him to be in a massive rush to leave.

DM – Adam Forshaw

Leeds United stuck by Adam Forshaw through injury hell in 2020 and 2021, and we fully expect the former Middlesbrough man to repay that good faith if Leeds go down.

A fantastic midfielder at this level, Forshaw could be key for Leeds if they are to play Championship football next season.

LM – Dan James

The most expensive player in this side, we’re, somewhat boldly, predicting that Dan James will stay at Leeds even if they are relegated.

Sales of the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Raphinha, Llorente, Koch and potentially Jack Harrison should allow Leeds to keep at least a couple of big names at the club, and with James contracted until 2026, keeping him shouldn’t be too big of a risk in terms of resale value further down the line – should Leeds need to sell him later down the line.

RM – Helder Costa

Perhaps a surprising name in our team. Helder Costa is currently out on loan at Valencia, but he’s due to return this summer.

Costa hasn’t had the best career at Leeds to date, but we can imagine that he could be just the type of player Jesse Marsch takes a shine too. After all, the American does like to use inverted wingers in his 4-2-2-2 system.

ST – Patrick Bamford

A year or so ago, Patrick Bamford was one of the hottest properties in England, but after a year out with injury, the English striker may need to prove himself once again.

As Aleksandar Mitrovic has shown at Fulham, keeping hold of your star striker can be the key to an instant return to the Premier League, and Bamford could well be that figure for Leeds next season.

ST – Joe Gelhardt

Leeds’ brightest young spark this season, if the Whites are to be relegated we fully expect Gelhardt to have a starring role in the Championship.

The youngster looks to be a brilliant fit for the English game, and he could be the EFL’s breakout star in 2022/23 if Leeds are relegated.

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