WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 17: Television pundit Stephen Warnock looks on during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round Replay between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool at Molineux on January 17, 2023 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images)
Former Leeds United defender Stephen Warnock believes his old side shouldn’t be looking to offload Junior Firpo unless they have an upgrade coming in to replace him, speaking exclusively to Football League World.
The Whites face key decisions on some of their key players this summer – and they have already made a couple of big calls.
Archie Gray has secured a switch to Tottenham Hotspur and Glen Kamara, who moved to Elland Road less than a year ago from Rangers, has sealed a move to Ligue 1 outfit Stade Rennais.
Firpo is another key player who has attracted interest, with Spanish side Real Betis thought to be interested in signing him, having already managed to get deals over the line for Diego Llorente and Marc Roca in recent weeks.
Stephen Warnock on Junior Firpo amid Real Betis links
One factor that could persuade Leeds to cash in on him is his contract situation, with Firpo’s deal running out next summer, but Warnock believes they need to find a replacement before letting him go.
On whether Leeds should cash in on the left-back this summer, the 42-year-old told FLW: “It depends on what you’ve got coming through the academy. It depends on what you’ve got in the pipeline for a player to come in.
“It depends on what type of money you’re going to receive for him. It depends on how happy the player is and whether he would like to sign a contract extension if an offer is on the table.
Brian Deane believes Leeds United require other options in attack to support their key forwards next season.
“I think what you saw with Firpo last season was that he had an opportunity to get himself up to speed and we saw the quality that we knew he had.
“I don’t think there are many Leeds fans who will question his ability going forward but from a defensive point of view, there are lapses in concentration at times and things like that. They can still be cleaned up, they can still be coached and sorted out.
“I’d be reluctant to get rid of someone of his quality unless you know you’ve got a better replacement coming in. Again, it depends what the fee would be.”
Leeds United will need a sufficient replacement for Junior Firpo if he leaves
As Warnock mentioned, some of Firpo’s defending has been questioned at times, and understandably so.
However, he is a real asset in the final third and played his part in setting up plenty of goals for the Whites during the 2023/24 season.
| Junior Firpo’s 2023/24 campaign at Leeds United | |
|---|---|
| (All competitions) | |
| Appearances | 33 |
| Assists | 8 |
If he can perform well again during the 2024/25 campaign, he could play a part in guiding the club back to the Premier League at the second time of asking.
The West Yorkshire side could bring in a decent replacement for him, but their budget may be limited this summer, even with a couple of key men being sold.
There are plenty of areas to address too and not a lot of time to go before the start of the season, so unless a replacement is ready to come in and perform straight away, a potential sale of Firpo shouldn’t be sanctioned.
