The last thing that Daniel Farke needs is his Leeds stars getting offers from other clubs right on top of the new Championship season, but that’s precisely what’s happened with one 6ft 3in player.
With Cardiff the visitors to Elland Road on Sunday, the German will likely have wanted some calm around the training pitch and focus on the job in hand.
An expected big crowd will return after the summer with an expectation that the all whites will be there or thereabouts at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, and so a big win will be just the ticket.
Farke can’t guarantee three points of course, but the minimum expected from his players will be that they all give 100 percent.
Most football fans will forgive a player’s mistakes if they can see he’s giving his all, but woe betide anyone that doesn’t put sweat on the shirt, to coin a phrase.
Charlie Cresswell has long held a dream to play for Leeds, and the England U21 international was the recipient of two offers to leave in the summer.
Thankfully for Farke, he hasn’t acted upon them.
“Summer has been pretty hectic to be fair with that eye socket injury. Trying to get fit for the Euros,” he said on the Official Leeds United Podcast.
“I got fit but had to wear that mask that did my head in. I had a couple of options and it was a bit uncertain, but for me there was never that option to leave.
“I wanted to achieve the dream of what I’ve wanted since I was a little boy, that’s to play for Leeds United with the number five on the back of my shirt.”
It’s not clear at this stage if the 20-year-old will start against the Bluebirds, though he’s likely to get his head down and work to make Farke’s choice an easy one when it comes to picking the team each week.