Hernandez sticks with Leeds as Taylor is offered fresh deal
PABLO HERNANDEZ will remain at Leeds United next season after triggering a 12-month extension to his contract.
The Elland Road club confirmed the playmaker will stay beyond the expiry of his current deal next month as part of their retained list.
Jordan Botaka and Ross Turnbull have both been released as part of United’s plans for next season, while Charlie Taylor has been offered a new deal.
The left-back is certain to leave Leeds this summer after refusing to play in the final game of the season at Wigan Athletic.
West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis has gone public with his interest in recent days, while other Premier League clubs are understood to have scouted Taylor.
Leeds expect their Academy graduate to reject the offer of a new deal but by making it the Championship club will be guaranteed a fee when he joins another English club this summer.
Leeds are entitled to compensation due to Taylor being under the age of 24 but, under Football League rules, a fresh deal has to be made that at least matches his current salary. Taylor has been given a month to respond to the club’s offer.
As for Hernandez, he became a key figure for Leeds after initially joining on loan from Qatari club Al-Arabi last summer.
He then signed a short-term deal to stay in West Yorkshire last January, which included an appearance related clause promising Hernandez another year if triggered. Hernandez netted six times in 2016-17 and provided eight assists as Garry Monk’s side finished seventh in the Championship.
As for those heading through the exit door, Turnbull spent the season training with the Under23s and Botaka – a Congo international recruited from Dutch club Excelsior – was sent on loan to Charlton Athletic. PAUL WARNE is hopeful that Rotherham United have not seen the last of Carlton Morris – and has revealed that the loan striker is keen to return if he cannot earn a first-team place at Norwich City.
Despite an injury-disrupted time with the Millers after joining in January, the 21-yearold showed signs of raw promise and while the forward’s priority is trying to establish himself with the Canaries, Warne is not ruling him out of a return.
Additions to his forward department are a big priority area for Warne in the summer, with Danny Ward’s future likely to be away from the club, despite the Millers exercising an option to extend his contract by a further year.
That is likely to ensure that they will receive a significant fee for their 2016-17 top-scorer, the subject of interest from several Championship clubs.
The future of Dexter Blackstock is also uncertain, with the club receptive to him moving elsewhere following a forgettable campaign at Rotherham.
On potentially bringing back Morris, manager Warne said: “I spoke to Carlton and said to him: ‘ did you enjoy it?’ He did.
“I asked if he would consider coming back if the opportunity arose for me and him and he said he would love to come back, but ideally he wants to get in the Norwich team.
“I wish him all the best and I will have different targets anyway. (But) It might be something we revisit in the summer or January.
“I will always keep an eye on his career. It is a pity he wasn’t here on a season-long loan where you could have him in pre-season and be able to work with him.
“When you have a couple of games a week, it is difficult to change a player. Pre-season is a good time to sculpt them into doing exactly what you want them to do.”