Leeds United latest: Summerville/Aston Villa prediction, Nat Phillips/Joe Rodon talk, financial warning | OneFootball

Leeds United are third in the Championship heading into the final league game of the season with Southampton this weekend, knowing they need a minor miracle to overtake Ipswich Town.

Daniel Farke's side had been the form team in the division in 2024 up until the international break, although they were defeated for the first time at home in the league against Blackburn Rovers recently, at a critical point in the campaign, and a defeat to QPR has all-but-ended their hopes of automatic promotion.

It's likely to mean a play-off campaign for the first time since 2019, when Marcelo Bielsa oversaw a two-legged defeat to Derby County. However, Farke's men will want to put the recent form behind them with a win over Southampton.

They remain in good hands, as the former Norwich City boss is a two-time Championship winner and is aiming for a third promotion in as many years from the second tier. Leeds may well need Wembley for Farke to make it a hat-trick of promotions, with the final to be held on Sunday 26th May.

However, in the meantime, with potential play-off games looming ever closer, here we have taken a look at some of the latest news and biggest headlines coming out of the club.

Stephen Warnock's Crysencio Summerville verdict

Ex-white, Stephen Warnock, believes it will be difficult for Leeds' Crysencio Summerville to turn down a potential move to Aston Villa. According to Football Insider, the Premier League side is keeping tabs on the Dutchman ahead of the summer transfer window.

“I think it all depends on if Leeds go back up to the Premier League or stay in the Championship,” Warnock told Football League World via NewBettingSites.uk.

“I think if they stay in the Championship, I think it’s something Leeds will have to do is cash in on him to make sure that financially they’re secure for however long they need to be to be able to push on and to probably strengthen the squad ready for next year in the Championship.

“They stand a better chance of holding onto him if they go up. The nice thing is: when you go up, there’s a feeling that you’re going to play because of what you’ve done in the previous season.

“However, Leeds fans will hate me for saying this, but if you have got a club like Aston Villa, and a manager like Unai Emery, and you’re in the Champions League positions — obviously speculating that they finish in the Champions League position — then that’s a big thing to turn down, it really is. “Because that progresses you to the next stage of your career. It’s obviously a manager who sees something in you where he feels he can progress you and make you into a better player. “I won’t put a valuation on it because I think it’s so difficult to understand where managers and clubs value players, and what bracket they put them into. Do they look at players in similar positions and think he’s roughly in and around that, or is it something else that they look for?

“Is it the club who come in for them as well, and they a percentage on because of who it is? But he’s certainly a player that both Leeds will want to keep hold of, but would also be an exciting addition for someone like Aston Villa.”

Carlton Palmer's Nat Phillips verdict

Leeds have been linked with a summer move for Liverpool defender Nat Phillips whether they win promotion or not, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post, despite the Liverpool man joining Leeds' Championship rivals Cardiff City on loan in January, and has impressed for the Bluebirds, leading to further transfer interest from Leeds.

The centre-back was reportedly a target for Leeds in January, but they missed out when he opted to move to the Welsh capital instead, but Farke looks set to attempt to bring him to the club yet again this summer.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, former Leeds midfielder Carlton Palmer said: "Leeds United have stated they’re currently very interested in Nat Phillips. The Liverpool man is currently on loan at Cardiff, and has struggled for game time at Liverpool, so he’s been going out on loan on a regular basis.

“It’s clear that Joe Rodon, who is on loan at Leeds United from Spurs, has done very well, and Leeds would like to sign Rodon.

"But what they’re doing currently is looking at alternatives, and it’s believed that whether they’re promoted or not they’ll still be keen on signing Philips and, of course, he is currently playing in the Championship, so if Leeds didn’t go up, he’d be a good option to play in the Championship.

“It’s a very difficult one. Leeds United are in an intense race for that automatic second promotion spot between themselves and Ipswich. If they miss out, they’ll go into the play-offs, so it’s difficult for the manager to plan for next season. He has to try and plan for life in the Premier League, and life in the Championship.

"It’s very difficult, and they’re being linked with a lot of players. I don’t think that Leeds United could afford Joe Rodon with the money that Spurs are asking unless they’re in the Premier League, whereas Nat Phillips could be afforded whether they’re in the Premier League or not, so promotion or not, the manager has said that Phillips would be a player that he would want to sign."

Paul Robinson's Leeds United financial warning

Paul Robinson has issued a points deduction warning to Leeds amid their promotion battle. While Robinson expects promotion to be a big boost to their books, he believes that the club will have to avoid spending too much in order to maintain compliance with the division’s Profit and Sustainability rules and regulations, whilst also highlighting how the potential cost of improving Elland Road could play a factor in their financial health.

“Leeds United are a huge football club, with the fanbase and the revenue they turn over, not just in this country but globally,” said Robinson, via Football Insider.

“They are bigger than a lot of the teams in the Premier League now. There is another question about the stadium. Elland Road has been in need of repair for a long time.

“They are talking about whether they are going to redevelop the ground. But if the money isn’t there to generate revenue, look at Everton, the new stadium they’ve got, they’ve gone to try and better themselves and get a new stadium to increase revenue. It’s difficult to do when you’re going to get fined for that.

“The accounts are certainly worrying, but I think the Premier League would come as a huge bonus for Leeds if that is the case. You just hope there is no overspend that costs them a points deduction because getting into the Premier League is hard enough.

“But starting off already snookered behind the black ball with a points deduction, it’s difficult to stay in there. It seems a points deduction is possible, and that would be a disaster.”