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Leeds United have had a storming season under Marcelo Bielsa and unsurprisingly some of their top talents have attracted Premier League interest.

Bournemouth are reportedly eyeing a £25 million double swoop for Jack Clarke and Kalvin Phillips but Leeds would be taking a massive step backwards if they were to sell to the Cherries.

Premier League dreams

According to the report from Football Insider the move would be irrespective of Leeds being promoted to the Premier League but of course, it isn’t that simple.

Both Clarke and Phillips are certainly good enough to play in the top flight but Leeds should keep hold of them next year regardless of what happens at the end of this season.

The Whites would be much more inclined to sell up if they didn’t get the huge financial windfall which comes with being in the top flight.

It is likely Leeds will be in the Premier League next season but if they fail in their aim to get promoted and allow Phillips and Clarke to head down south then it shows a huge lack of ambition.

Sending a message

If Leeds falter between now and the end of the campaign and are resigned to another 12 months in the Championship they need to keep their key players in order to show their ambition and send a message to the rest of the Championship.

Leeds need to follow the example of Fulham and Brighton if they fall short of promotion by regrouping with the same set of players and challenging again next year.

Brighton finished third in 2016 but kept the likes of Lewis Dunk and Anthony Knockaert and sealed promotion the next year.

Fulham did the same with Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon before being promoted at Wembley in the playoffs with the former scoring the winner.

If Leeds stay in the division and allow Clarke and Phillips to go to Bournemouth it signals a lack of ambition at Elland Road and could ruin their chances of having a second bite of the cherry if they fall at the final hurdle this year.