Losing Chris Wood is a major blow for Leeds but not unsurprising due to the 30 goals he got last season.
Other clubs were bound to be sniffing around and with the transfer window closing at the end of August the chances of him leaving was always likely.
The sooner the transfer window changes the better. It should close at the end of July meaning all clubs should just get on with their season until it re-opens again in January.
Having said that though Burnley will be Wood’s 10th English league club and he’s still only 25 so he has become a bit of a journeyman already, not staying too long at each club he’s been at.
Although we did offer him a 3-year-extension you can’t really compete with Premier League wages.
And the Leeds offer only seemed to come about once Burnley had made their intentions clear.
That makes you wonder if the club were serious about wanting him to stay as Thomas Christiansen also admitted the club had already started a search for a replacement well beforehand.
I thought it was wrong Burnley approached Leeds with an improved bid of around £15m just before an important game.
But Wood was possibly thinking about a move before Preston & Fulham as he missed glorious chances in each game to score that only enhanced people’s thoughts that his mind was elsewhere.
He will be missed but there was always a doubt in fans minds whether he could reproduce another season like the last.
We obviously wish him well but whether he can cut it in the Premier League remains to be seen. His bank manager will be happy though!
He did himself no favours with his message about not wanting to play.
That doesn’t go down well with fans although Christiansen said he pulled him out of the squad after he refused to sign the new deal on the table.
Various names are being mentioned as replacements like Sheffield Wednesday’s Jordan Rhodes, Jordan Hugill at Preston and Hamburg striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga.
Personally, I think Wood restricted the style of play Christiansen is looking for now as proved in the 2-nil win at Sunderland.
Samuel Siaz had a brilliant game and him and Gianni Alioski on the wing seem to have a great understanding with Pablo Hernandez pulling the strings in midfield.
With Wood, you had to play the ball to his strengths which means a more direct style of play that is now very much last season with this new Leeds team.
It’s unfortunate that new striker Caleb Ekuban went off injured on Saturday as he had a decent game but that may mean we need 2 strikers in now before the end of August.
Leeds will have plenty of money not only from the Wood deal but also from the sale of Charlie Taylor, ironically who also left for Burnley and with the imminent departure of Liam Bridcutt to Nottm Forest.
Christiansen seems to know what he wants and has made the right decisions so far so hopefully that will continue after a very decent start to the campaign.
And like Christiansen implied after the Sunderland game; The name on the back of the shirt will never be bigger than the badge on the front!