Leeds United are ready to use the upcoming international break to accelerate new contract talks with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with the striker indicating he is ready to cement his future at Elland Road and with sources making the club’s stance clear amid recent links to Manchester United.

Eyebrows were raised when Leeds opted to bring in the 29-year-old frontman in summer 2025 to spearhead their Premier League survival mission following an injury-plagued spell at Everton.

The fact that he was also made Leeds United’s highest-paid player in the process also raised major concerns. However, any lingering doubts have been very quickly eradicated thanks to the player’s brilliant form and proven fitness over his 18 months at Elland Road, thus far.

In fact, in a complete reversal of what Everton fans saw across his final few years at Goodison Park, Calvert-Lewin has missed just three matches since joining the Whites as a free agent, with match sharpness delaying his debut after initially signing, and one absence back in February owing to illness. That aside, he’s been a virtual ever-present for Daniel Farke and a vital component of their side.

Indeed, the 20 goals he has scored in 51 appearances so far have seen the striker play his way back into the England squad, having been called up three times by Thomas Tuchel across the calendar year.

Now, with his contract at Elland Road due to expire in June 2028, we exclusively revealed in September that the club were ready to open talks with the player over an extended deal in due course.

Now, sources understand that Leeds will use the upcoming international break to ramp up those plans to tie the player down to an extension, with both the player and club aligned that extending that stay at Elland Road is the only course of action moving forward.

And we understand that, so impressed have Leeds been with his form, that they are ready to offer him a two-year extension, tying him down at Elland Road until the year 2030 and beyond the player’s 33rd birthday.

Sources say both club and player are calm over the talks and there is already a common understanding that they would both like the arrangement to continue.

Providing more insight into those talks, our transfer correspondent Fraser Fletcher revealed: “There is no panic over his situation; he is a key player at Leeds and enjoying his football.

“He and the club are both on the same page, and the focus is fully on the pitch and continuing the progress and form shown last season.”

Any extension would certainly spell good news for Leeds, who have seen their star striker linked with a fanciful cross-Pennines move to Old Trafford of late, but with both Farke and Calvert-Lewin himself making their stance crystal clear…

Farke and Calvert-Lewin dismissive of Man Utd links

Questioned recently on Calvert-Lewin’s form for Leeds, his future at Elland Road and those links to their arch-rivals down the M62, the Leeds boss was quick to make the club’s stance clear.

“I’m not willing to speak about any rumours at the moment. Obviously, Dominic is a very important player; we want to keep our most important players,” Farke said.

Calvert-Lewin himself also knows which way his bread is buttered, admitting that his move to Elland Road has seen him not only playing the best football of his career, but also having coincided with a time in his life when he has never felt in better shape.

Now, during an interview with The Observer last week, the 29-year-old says his time at Leeds has given him a new perspective on life.

“I have a really good balance,” he said. “Being a father has given me a different perspective. It humanises you. Everything you knew before disintegrates; you’re learning a new life.

“Going through difficult moments [professionally] has taught me to welcome the bumps in the road. They’re inevitable. It’s how you move through them. Success is not a straight line. I’ve been able to rewrite my narrative. I’m in a very good place. I’m at peace.”

With Calvert-Lewin and Leeds now moving towards that new deal, it will not alter Manchester United’s need to add a frontman to give the struggling Red Devils another option in attack.

Their £72m frontman Benjamin Sesko has seen just 76 minutes of Premier League action this season owing to injury, leaving manager Michael Carrick short of options up front and with the club eager to address the situation in the January window.

To that end, another proven Premier League striker has said yes to joining the Red Devils ahead of the winter window.

Elsewhere at Leeds, the Whites also have doubts over the future of another striker in Lukas Nmecha, who was afforded a rare start up front alongside Calvert-Lewin in Saturday’s vital 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road.

Speaking before the game, the striker offered an evasive answer on his future in West Yorkshire amid growing speculation that a move to an ambitious Championship club could be on the cards in September.