Leeds United will make a "big play" to keep hold of key midfielder Tyler Adams this summer, according to reliable journalist Graham Smyth.

Is Adams leaving Leeds?

While the Whites have had a miserable 2022/23 season in the Premier League, suffering relegation to the Championship, the £57,000-a-week American stood out as one of the few positives to take from the campaign.

Adams was an influential part of Leeds' midfield from the moment he arrived from RB Leipzig last summer, starting 24 league games and averaging a huge 3.7 tackle per match, proving to be a tenacious presence. Unfortunately, an injury ended his season prematurely – his last appearance came on March 11th – and the Whites missed him badly during the relegation run-in.

The 24-year-old could well look to move away from Elland Road in the next few months, in order to avoid playing second-tier football in 2023/24, but a positive update has emerged regarding his future.

Could Whites persuade Adams to stay put?

Speaking in a Q&A for the Yorkshire Evening Post, Smyth said that Leeds are going to do all they can to retain Adams' services beyond the summer transfer window, as well as defender Max Wober's:

"I expect 49ers Enterprises to make a big play to try and keep both men and probably Max Wober too. It’s not really in their power to stop them if something too-good-to-be-true comes along, though.

"I would argue the most important thing is to determine the wishes of both players nice and early. What you don’t want is to build a summer recruitment plan around them and then suddenly face losing them late in the window."

This is certainly an encouraging update, showing that Leeds are not willing to leave Adams depart without a fight, although the decision may ultimately rest with the player himself as Smyth suggests.

If he demands to leave, it is pointless trying to keep hold of an unhappy player, with the Whites receiving good money for him and using it wisely to sign a strong replacement. That being said, the hope is that the 36-time capped USA international believes Leeds will only be in the Championship for one year, and that he can help lead them back into the Premier League in no time at all.

Should that happen, it would be a huge moment immediately enhancing the Whites' chances of securing automatic promotion back to the top flight, considering he has been described as a "menace" by former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock.