Leeds United defender Gaetano Berardi's time at Elland Road will come to an end this summer, according to The Athletic's Phil Hay.

The once-capped Switzerland international joined the Whites back in 2014, arriving from Sampdoria for an undisclosed fee.

Berardi has gone on to make a total of 155 appearances for Leeds, performing solidly in that time and being more of a regular during his early years at the club.

Under Marcelo Bielsa, however, the 32-year-old has featured far less and he is now coming to the end of the one-year contract extension he signed last October.

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Hay tips Berardi to leave Leeds

The reliable Hay confirmed that he doesn't expect Leeds to retain Berardi's services beyond this summer, such is the depth now at Bielsa's disposal:

"And I won’t be surprised if Gaetano Berardi leaves at the end of his latest contract too."

Transfer Tavern take

Hay continued to explain that the Whites are very well covered at centre-back, and thus it makes perfect sense for the club to move Berardi on, getting him off the club's wage bill and freeing up funds for potential reinforcements to come in.

He is currently on approximately £32,ooo per week (the fifth highest paid player in the squad), and considering he suffered an ACL injury last summer, he is unlikely to fully return the same player again.

Leeds have moved on without Berardi and should now be looking at younger players who can help take the team forward in the long-term - perhaps another striker given the rumours surrounding Rodrigo's future.

In other news, a former Leeds star has given his take on the Whites' summer transfer budget. Read more here.