When Leeds United secured promotion to the Premier League in 2020 after 16 years away, a city erupted into rapture. Manager Marcelo Bielsa was soaked in adulation, the players revered as saviours, harvesting the malaise of two decades and returning the club to its rightful place.
And initially, this was carried out with aplomb; the Whites' first season back in the Premier League resulted in a ninth-placed finish and an admiration from supporters of English football for the attractive football and cohesive efforts of a unified squad.
To say it unravelled would be an understatement, and Bielsa's dismissal in February 2022 confirmed the end of an era at Elland Road; the subsequent appointment of Jesse Marsch did little to quell the escalating discontent, with a near-escape from relegation unable to be built upon this term, and the bitter fate has been confirmed, and Leeds return to the second tier.
But with the 49ers now imminently awaiting the confirmation of their takeover of the club, there is reason to hope for greener pastures once again in west Yorkshire, with the right moves on the transfer front surely setting the prestigious outfit in good stead for an immediate return to the top-flight.
And while there will be a multitude of outgoings this summer, one player who must be fervently convinced to remain at the club is USMNT international Tyler Adams, who has been one of the bright sparks in a dull and uninspring crop.
Should Leeds keep hold of Tyler Adams?
While the 24-year-old would no doubt fetch a pretty penny if sold over the coming months, the value of keeping him as the nucleus of the Leeds midfield is vital to ensure that the Premier League is the forthcoming destination.
There have been reports that the Whites have slapped a £40m price tag on the industrious ace amid interest from the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Aston Villa, and while recuperating such a fee after the chastening plummet from the Premier League would be beneficial, his exploits on the pitch would not be easily replaced.
According to the Yorkshire Evening Post's Graham Smyth, the club will "make a big play" to keep the gem at the club, and while it will not be easy, Leeds' chances of promotion would increase tenfold with the £55k-per-week Adams in the middle, pulling the strings.
Signing from RB Leipzig for around £20m one year ago, Adams was always viewed as the successor to Kalvin Phillips, with the endeared midfield general departing for Manchester City in a £45m deal several days prior.
Described as a "monster" by former Crystal Palace star Yannick Bolasie, Phillips starred for United across their first two Premier League seasons of recent times but notably stole the show with his stunning performances in the 19/20 Championship season, where he earned an average Sofascore rating of 7.28, completing 82% of his passes, averaging 1.8 key passes per game, and making 2.6 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 1.3 clearances per outing.
Comparatively, the 36-cap USA centre-midfielder recorded a respectable average rating of 6.98 in the Premier League this season, completing 82% of his passes, averaging one key pass per match and making 3.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions.
Adams could be the "tackling machine" – as praised by Kevin Campbell – that the club needs to return to prominence, and with the robust brute pulling the strings with his all-encompassing work, it could be a successful season for a side desperate to return to former glory,
