Leeds United manager Daniel Farke says Charlie Cresswell will not be part of his first-team plans as the defender is not “mentally ready” to play.
Farke added that if Cresswell wants to leave and a club made the right proposal from Leeds’ perspective, they would be open to talking about a move.
Cresswell, who signed a new four-year contract at Leeds in August, has made only four Championship appearances this season and just one start. The 21-year-old has played only once since August and has not seen any action at all since the first week of October.
“One of my first decisions (in the summer) was we don’t send him out on loan,” Farke said. “I want Charlie to be one of the four centre-backs. He’s a great character, he’s one of our own, a young player and a good player with potential. It’s the reason why we gave him a long contract and his wish for the shirt number.
“My decision was then that I played a lot with Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk, and also Liam Cooper because he’s our club captain and experienced. Liam has repaid my trust whenever I needed him. It ended up with Charlie being our number four centre-back.
“You could sense that Charlie was not overly happy with this situation. Sometimes he was travelling with us and it was a little bit like he’s not really switched on and focused. We spoke openly and honestly about this and he said, ‘Listen boss, I totally appreciate everything but for me it’s difficult. I’m not happy to be centre-back number four. I want to be top two. I rate myself as a starter’.
“It makes no sense if you’re not fully committed. He’s professional, never a problem with him, but it’s not like he’s fully committed. It was more like, ‘What am I doing here? I want to start’. I totally see why but I have to make the decisions for Leeds United.”
Cresswell has struggled to make Farke’s matchday squads this season and was left out completely for Sunday’s FA Cup third-round tie at League One Peterborough.
Cresswell spent last season on loan at Millwall, with Leeds still in the Premier League, making 28 Championship appearances. The England Under-21 international was told before the January transfer window opened that Leeds didn’t want him to go, despite his lack of minutes.
Leeds have already lost two defenders this transfer window, with Djed Spence’s loan from Tottenham Hotspur cancelled and Luke Ayling departing on loan to Middlesbrough.
“The ball is in his court,” Farke added on Cresswell’s future. “Either you find a solution, if you want to play for a different club, or you come to me and tell me you’re happy to be number four, totally committed. I have to wait for my chance and work for it. If you think right now you have the right to start ahead of Joe Rodon or Pascal Struijk, it’s not possible.
“He won’t be picked until he is ready, mentally ready. I just want players who want to be there, accept their role and are fully on it.
“It’s no accusation. I totally get Charlie’s point but the ball’s in his court. One thing’s for sure — we don’t present him as a gift and wrap him and give him to a club, (if) the club doesn’t fulfill our expectations.
“Either there is a solution where a club reaches our expectations for a player full of potential, or not. Then he has to accept his role with the mindset of ‘I’m ready to fight.’ This is why I haven’t picked him in recent weeks and why I won’t pick him until the situation is sorted.”
GO DEEPER
Ethan Ampadu has become Daniel Farke’s pillar – steady, consistent, committed
(George Wood/Getty Images)
