In the summer, Leeds United waved goodbye to eight players in permanent sales while also allowing five more to leave on loan – and Jermaine Beckford has been discussing one of those.
Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter moved to the Premier League. Marc Roca and Diego Llorente to Real Betis, Charlie Cresswell and Glen Kamara to France, Kris Klaesson initially to Poland.
Klaesson has since had his contract terminated at Rakow and joined AGF Aarhus in Denmark. Five others left on loan, with Jack Harrison and Rasmus Kristensen boasting a second-year Victor Orta loan clause.
They are at Everton and Frankfurt, while Sonny Perkins, Darko Gyabi and Sam Greenwood have also left the club on temporary deals. For all three, it is the second time they have left Leeds to go on loan.
Jermaine Beckford says Sam Greenwood not suited to Leeds
In the summer, it was perhaps a surprise when Greenwood was allowed to go on loan to Preston. He had a hand in eight goals at Middlesbrough, and Leeds lack cover for Brenden Aaronson in the 10 role.
They also lack a set-piece specialist, aside from Joe Rothwell. But Greenwood left Leeds to join Preston on loan, a move that is now seeing him play under North End manager Paul Heckingbottom at the moment.
Speaking on Sky Sports as Preston drew 0-0 with Sunderland, Beckford explains why £3m Leeds signing Greenwood simply does not suit Leeds – even if he impressed with the 21’s and is deadly from free-kicks.
“He’s a very creative player but his set pieces are fantastic. His distribution is really clever. While he was at Leeds, in PL2, goals and assists, every single game, they were coming thick and fast, on a regular basis.
“He didn’t get the same opportunities at Leeds, he just wasn’t quite suited. The pressure at Preston is not going to be as much as it is at Leeds, the expectation is not going to be as much as it is at Leeds United.”
Are Leeds missing a trick with Sam Greenwood?
At Preston, he has five goals in 15. He has played in midfield, out wide and even on Wednesday night, as a striker. So he’s got versatility, goals, assists and is excellent from set-pieces – why was he allowed to go?
| Season | Club and League | Games | Goals | Assists |
| 2022-23 | Leeds, Premier League | 23 | 1 | 3 |
| 2023-24 | Middlesbrough, Championship | 38 | 5 | 3 |
| 2024-24 | Preston, Championship | 15 | 5 | 1 |
The stats suggest that actually, Greenwood is getting better. Is there a tenacity that Farke does not want at Leeds? Perhaps, given Greenwood has already received a straight red card for Preston during his loan.
But it does leave a big question mark. This is a versatile player, capable of magic out of nothing and is a player that fills two big holes at Leeds – cover for Aaronson, and a set-piece specialist. Why did he go?
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