Leeds United are set to return for pre-season testing next week as preparations ramp up for the new season.
Other Championship sides such as Burnley and Middlesbrough have already made their return but with Leeds‘ season finishing later due to the Championship play-off final, they have been granted an extra week.
It is certainly going to be interesting to see the faces in attendance next week, with only a handful of members from Leeds’ squad currently away on international duty.
Max Wober, Rasmus Kristensen and Brenden Aaronson are the trio still away at either the EUROs or Copa America and won’t be due back for a while yet.
The likes of Ethan Ampadu, Dan James, Ilia Gruev and Junior Firpo are also unlikely to be in the first group of returnees, having represented their respective countries before the start of the two major international tournaments.
Liam Cooper, Jamie Shackleton and Cody Drameh, meanwhile, still have unsigned contracts on the table and will need to make a decision swiftly.
Report shares whether Diego Llorente will return for pre-season day one
Leeds have a handful of players who had been out of the picture last season that are due back for day one of testing.
Sam Greenwood and Darko Gyabi are among those who fall under that category, having spent last season on loan at Middlesbrough and Plymouth Argyle respectively. Their futures still remain undecided.
Despite intense speculation on potential exits, Crysencio Summerville, Willy Gnonto and Archie Gray are also due for returns following a full summer off.
However, according to Leeds Live, one shock player who could be back in West Yorkshire next week is Diego Llorente, who has not kicked a ball for the club in 18 months.
He has spent the last season and a half on loan at AS Roma, who are still yet to move forward on whether they will sign him permanently or not.
As per the report, Llorente is due back on Farke‘s ‘day one register’, but there is still the possibility he will either be told to train alone, or even stay away completely until a transfer is sorted.
How does the land lie with Llorente’s future?
This time 12 months ago, Llorente did not return to Leeds at all for pre-season amid speculation, and it would not be a surprise if that was the case again.
Llorente has reportedly made it clear that he wishes to seal another exit, however the situation is very different this time around.
Unlike last summer, the 30-year-old does not have an active loan clause in his contract and so he is relying on a club coming into sign him permanently for around £4 million.
Roma remain the favourites but have so far not progressed as fast as expected, which has allowed Real Betis to join the race.
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