Leeds United set to retain two players they were open to moving on | OneFootball

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Leeds United are set to retain a couple of players beyond this evening’s 11pm deadline.

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Lewis Bate and Leo Hjelde are both set to remain at Elland Road until at least January.

The pair had both been loan targets elsewhere, but it now appears that they won’t be going anywhere.

Leeds have had a very busy summer window, with deadline day set to put an end to all the speculation surrounding their first team squad.

But this duo’s future has been decided with plenty of time remaining in the day, allowing the club to focus on other developments.

Fleetwood Town had shown an interest in signing Bate, but there is no expectation that a deal will be completed.

This will keep the former Chelsea player with the Whites until at least January, despite his lack of first team minutes under Daniel Farke.

Bate has not played a single minute of league action for Leeds so far this season.

The 20-year-old spent last season out on loan with Oxford United in League One, making 28 appearances in the third division.

He contributed one goal and three assists, helping the team survive relegation to League Two.

Meanwhile, Leeds were open to receiving offers for Hjelde but nothing managed to materialise.

It means he will now remain at Elland Road for the time being, despite also not being in Farke’s immediate first team plans.

The Norwegian did start the team’s opening game of the season, but was replaced at half-time with the team losing to Cardiff City.

The 20-year-old also featured in the side’s EFL Cup ties with Shrewsbury Town and Salford City, but a penalty shootout loss last Tuesday means Leeds are no longer in the domestic cup competition.

How has the summer gone for Leeds United?

Leeds have had a hectic summer, with over a dozen outgoings at Elland Road.

Farke has also added a number of fresh faces to his squad, which has gone through a significant overhaul following their return to the Championship.

Leeds will be aiming to compete for promotion straight back to the Premier League, but a poor start to the campaign has highlighted the difficulty of that task.

Leeds are currently 13th in the table, having earned just five points from a possible 12.

Next up for Farke’s side is the visit of Sheffield Wednesday to Elland Road on Saturday.

Have Leeds made the right decision with Lewis Bate and Leo Hjelde?

If no suitors have arrived with a reasonable offer, then Leeds have been left with little choice but to retain the pair.

If Leeds really did want to loan both of them out for this season, then they should have put more effort into finding potential clubs for them.

Otherwise, the duo will now have to wait for their next opportunity in the team, which might not come for several weeks or even months.