Former Leeds United attacker Noel Whelan has stressed the Whites should not have allowed Rangers linked Kemar Roofe’s contract to run down to its final year.
The 26-year-old was prolific for Leeds last season and finished the season as their top scorer in the Championship with 14 goals from 32 appearances.
Despite being one of their standout performers, Leeds have failed to lock him down to a long-term contract and risk losing him ahead of the upcoming season.
Rangers have been linked with wanting to sign Roofe, who has entered the final year of his current deal at Elland Road.
And Whelan has stressed Leeds should not have made the mistake of letting Roofe enter the final year of his contract with the club this summer.
The former Whites star insisted they should have extended his contract at least in January, especially considering his fine form for the club.
“You’re talking about running a business here and keeping hold of assets”, Whelan said on BBC Radio Leeds.
“A contract should have been put in place and signed probably during the beginning of last season, maybe January you know when we could see that he was doing well and the team were doing well.”
Whelan also believes Leeds are now under pressure and could lose Roofe for half the amount of his actual value due to their inability to extend his contract.
“You can’t allow a striker, who has been your top scorer, to run down to a year on your contract, that’s not good work by the football club”, he continued.
“So now they are under a little bit of pressure, instead of having to think about selling a player and cashing in for five million, when he is really worth 10 as a striker.
“You’re losing on both ends, you’re losing the striker and you are losing money because you have allowed the contract to run down to this stage.”
Roofe joined Leeds from Oxford United in the summer of 2016.
