Leeds United may be sweating on international's Elland Road exit but eight-figure fee would make it sweeter: View | OneFootball

Max Wober is the current Leeds centre-back cover at this moment, but might still leave. If he does it's a blow but £10m+ makes it a sweeter deal

Highlights

Leeds United centre-back Max Wober has been linked with a move away from Elland Road this summer but could command a high fee, which could encourage Daniel Farke to sell given his place in the pecking order and impact so far on the season.

According to the Football Insider, Wober has a "strong possibility" of leaving the Yorkshire club before deadline day, due to limited game time behind current centre-back duo, Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon.

With Farke's men keen to invest following their departures this summer, the 26-year-old Austrian could well be expected to leave despite previous reports suggesting the defender would remain at Elland Road this season.

The West Yorkshire side will only allow Wober to leave if they receive an appropriate offer, and judging by the reported fee in the region of £11 million they paid for Wober, they'll be looking to gain a similar figure for his departure.

Wober spent the previous season out on loan at Borussia Mönchengladbach and is reportedly keen to return to the Bundesliga after playing 25 games for the German outfit.

Wober has had up-and-down career since Leeds move

The board will be looking to sweeten the deal for the Whites with an ideal offer, so the Austrian can leave this summer.

Despite only having a limited time at the club, Wober and Leeds reportedly agreed that this departure would be right for both parties, after only playing 20 games for the club in all competitions and not living up to the standards set for him when he joined in January 2023.

In Germany, however, Wober suited Gladbach's style of play, where he performed much better in a back three compared to Leeds' back four, which is something that has clearly affected him whilst playing in England.

This curse of playing in a back four continued when he represented Austria in the EURO's, being an anomaly in Austria's fine form in the group stages. An own goal versus France on gameweek one didn't contribute to his advantage either, although the fact Austria impressed over their time in the tournament does slightly boost Wober's attractiveness.

The defender started Leeds' 3-0 home defeat to Michael Carrick's Middlesborough in the EFL Cup, and looked completely out of sorts, being substituted not long after Boro doubled their lead on the 60th minute mark. If he was to leave, it certainly wouldn't be on a high.

Farke has seemingly made it clear if Wober wants to leave he won't be standing in his way, as he needs players who are committed to the cause.

There is a big possibility that Wober's stint in Germany will help Farke to gain the right fee for the Austrian. Bundesliga teams who play in a back three style will see his use, and being left-footed in a three is an even bigger plus. His standing as an Austrian international, despite an up-and-down tournament, will add a few pounds onto any fee.

Leeds will manage without Wober and £10m+ would be a bonus

The likelihood is that Rodon and Struijk will be the pairing for this season, after they featured heavily in Leeds' promotion push last season. The Whites have also been linked with a move for Chelsea centre-back Bashir Humphreys, according to Fabrizio Romano, saying there is "concrete interest". Wober's exit surely paves the way for Leeds to hit the gas with a new signing, although Burnley are said to be on the cusp of signing the Chelsea man, which would force Farke to look elsewhere for cover.

It's obviously a risk if Leeds let Wober go without concrete cover lined up and, as such, there will be worry around any exit. However, a decent fee gives Leeds the potential to go big on a replacement and potentially an upgrade, whether that's here-and-now or in the future if they target a project player.

Adding to this, Ethan Ampadu is also a possible cover, largely playing at the back for Leeds last season alongside Welsh teammate Rodon in Struijk's absence. He is needed in midfield, but a rejig does allow him to move to centre-back.

For now, Wober seems to be third choice in the pecking order, but clearly believes his own ability deserves him a starting place, especially after impressing at Mochengladbach.

Going by the Boro game, though, his fee would've certainly taken a decline, but the Yorkshire outfit would hope to agree on a figure in the region of £10 million and him holding his value given the slight success of last season's loan.

With shaky performances in the Premier League, Wober doesn't seem suited to the English game. A switch to Germany could see him flourish in the mid-to-long-term, though, and Leeds should be doing all they can to get him a club if there's an eight-figure payday on the horizon.