Simon Grayson reveals who will stay and who will go as Leeds prepare for life in the Championship.
Leeds boss keen to freshen squad
Leeds boss Simon Grayson has confirmed who will stay and who will go as the club prepare for life in the Championship.
Casper Ankergren, Rui Marques and Andrew Milne have all been informed that their contracts will not be renewed for the 2010/2011 campaign.
The club will, however, offer new contracts to Andrew Hughes and Jermaine Beckford, whose last proposal still stands although he is expected to sign for a Premier League club.
Alan Sheehan spent most of last season on loan at Swindon and has been informed that he will not be offered a new deal.
Nor will Lubomir Michalik, Andy Robinson or Tresor Kandol who have been told to start looking elsewhere despite all still being under contract.
Second-year apprentices Mike Whitwell, Ryan Jones, Sam Jones, Callum Williams and Adam Watson will not be offered professional deals.
Hard
Boss Grayson admits it is one of the tougher tasks for a manager to tell his players they are no longer required.
"It is the hardest part of a manager's job, informing players who have contributed towards a successful season that you are not going to offer them a new contract," he told the club's
official website.
"In all the cases those that have been allowed to leave have been a joy and a pleasure to work with on a day-to-day basis.
"I feel certain they will find another club who will be lucky to have them."
Grayson said that United had to release a number of players before anybody else could be brought in.
He remained tight-lipped on any potential targets for next season's return to the Championship but did not rule out the Whites bringing in a number of fresh faces.
"The club needs to move forward and these decisions, as hard as they were, had to be made in that interest, so the recruitment of new players can now start to form our squad for the Championship campaign," he said.
"Over the summer months we will also be looking to extend the term of a number of the existing players' contracts and also make a decision on those players who have now returned to their clubs, having been on loan, which will also be made in the context of our squad next season."
