Alan Hutton has suggested that Leeds United could be one of a number of clubs in the Championship who face real challenges over the contract situations of some players, amid the uncertainty over the rest of the campaign.

The Whites have currently got the likes of Ilan Meslier, Jack Harrison, Helder Costa, Ben White and Jean-Kevin Augustin all on loan deals until the end of the campaign, but were the season to be extended beyond when it would normally finish, Leeds would have to come up with a solution to keep them at Elland Road.

There are also cases where clubs could have pre-conditions in agreements that obligate them to buy players if they manage to earn promotion, which could well affect Leeds should the season fail to be completed, with the Whites having an obligation to buy Augustin in the summer.

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Speaking to the Football Insider, Hutton suggested that Leeds could just be one of a number of clubs who will be needing to find solutions to potential contract situations that arise from the EFL season being suspended, and the potential for the campaign to be extended well into the summer.

He said: "Massive headaches. Whether it be players out of contract, players agreeing to sign for teams if they go up or whatever, there’s so many stipulations across the board.

"Leeds, yep, they’re one but I think there’s a lot of pressure on the boys who are out of contract. If things finish as they are or heaven forbid they stop it for whatever, it’s difficult for a lot of people moving forward.

"That’s just one thing, where they’re obligated to buy him if they go up, if they don’t go up, the stipulations are endless. We really don’t know what’s going to happen. The problems are there throughout every club."

The verdict

Hutton’s comments clearly focus in on one of the key concerns that many clubs will be having during what is an unprecedented period of confusion, and it is very difficult for them to be planning for the weeks and months ahead without knowing exactly what is going to happen.

It does seem the EFL are wanting the season to be played out to some form of conclusion, but it is still unknown how long in terms months and weeks that will see the campaign extended by, which leaves clubs like Leeds with loan deals all needing to find agreements to extend those deals.

For Leeds, then, there could be the issue of the contract situation regarding Augustin’s deal in particular, which could potentially have ramifications on any potential long-term deal for him in the summer, depending on whether they manage to earn promotion to the Premier League.

You have to feel for the owners and management at clubs up and down the country at the moment, but the Whites have shown that they can are operating smartly in terms of the their transfer business, and they will need to continue to find solutions in the market to combat this current situation.