The 49ers have been told not to turn down hefty offers for Leeds United's key stars if they are confident they can find a successor for them

Former Leeds United player Lee Sharpe says it is important that the Whites must do everything they can to hold on to their key players in the coming summers.

However, he also argues that the 49ers should not be afraid to sell a player if an extraordinary offer comes in, should they trust their recruitment department to find ample replacements.

Leeds have spent more than £180m over the past two summer windows, since promotion to the Premier League was secured. Throughout Daniel Farke’s three-year reign, there have been very few flops.

In fact, United have managed to seal a number of bargains; Ao Tanaka (£3m) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (free) being two prime examples. Ethan Ampadu (£7m) and James Justin (an initial £8m) also fit into this category.

Sharpe name-checked three of these players when asked about the importance of Leeds keeping hold of their key stars should they continue their Premier League rise.

He told newbettingsites.uk: “The spine of the team at Leeds - they’ve just signed a really good goalkeeper [James Trafford], then you've got Tanaka, Calvert-Lewin and Ampadu - these are the sort of players that are week in, week out, seven, eight, nine out of 10 for Leeds, and they really need to stay at the club.

“I think Calvert-Lewin's been a huge signing and was a big gamble because of his injuries, but I think he's already repaying the faith they put in him. People like Stach. People that have been at the club for a while that are consistent performers, you do not want those to leave the club just yet.

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“We say this about teams like Brighton every year. They tend to lose one or two of their best players every year and still perform like they're doing; they're still top half and still challenging for Europe every year.”

Of course, if luring offers are presented before players, a move away can always seem tempting. Sharpe says it is Farke’s job to ensure his squad stays focused on the here and now should transfer speculation come calling towards the end of the season.

At the same time, he believes the 49ers should not snub at significant fees for their key stars if they back themselves to find suitable successors for the respective role, based on their current track record.

Sharpe - who played for Leeds between 1996 and 1999 - added: “It's about players staying focused. It's about the manager laying down the law and saying no one's going anywhere, so get your head out of the clouds and concentrate on what you're doing.

“If Leeds have got good recruitment and they've got replacements for these players, then why not go and sell them for £60-80 million and go and buy another £20m and stick them in?

“So, if you've got good recruitment, then it's not such a big deal. But certainly, these are the sort of players you need to be keeping.”