Kevin Phillips believes Leeds United should offer a new contract to defender Gaetano Berardi despite the fact he has been ruled out for nine months with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Berardi is set for a long period of the sidelines after he tore his ligament during Leeds' 3-1 victory over Derby County last weekend, with this clash coming just two days after the Whites saw their long-awaited Premier League promotion confirmed.
The defender's injury has now left Leeds in a difficult situation given his contract is set to expire before the start of next season, and it now looks unlikely that Berardi will be able to feature for Marcelo Bielsa's side much before the 2020/21 campaign.
Berardi has proven to be an able deputy at the centre of defence during his time at Elland Road, with the former Sampdoria man having made 22 appearances during Leeds' promotion-winning campaign in the Championship this season.
Speaking to Football Insider, Phillips has claimed that Leeds will be facing a tough decision when deciding whether to keep Berardi on for next season, but the former West Brom striker thinks the Whites should reward Berardi for his good service.
“It’s such a tough one," Phillips said.
“Where other players have decided not to sign short-term contracts, because they feared injury, he has, so I’d like to see Leeds do the right thing.
“Give him another year, rehab him, get him back fully fit and then get him ready for the end of next season.
“Leeds are obliged to rehab him because he was injured while playing for them so just give him another contract and look after the kid. He has been a good servant for them.”
The defender has now made a total of 153 appearances for the South Yorkshire club since his arrival in 2014, with Berardi having established himself as something of a cult hero during his time at Elland Road.
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The Verdict
There can be no doubt that Leeds will be eager to reward Berardi for his service to the club by giving him a new deal ahead of next season, but it is purely a question of whether this would make financial sense for the Whites at the moment.
Leeds will need to be savvy with their costs as they start preparing for the Premier League, particularly seeing as they are likely to be ambitious in the transfer market as they look to consolidate in the top flight over the coming seasons.
It would be brilliant if Leeds could hand a new deal to Berardi given the excellent attitude he has shown during his six years at the club, but it remains to be seen whether it makes financial sense for the Whites to make this generous gesture.