In the days after the Leeds United parade, Daniel Farke and the new board sat down to discuss contract decisions.
The fruits of those talks were made public a few weeks later, with Josuha Guilavogui being released while Sam Byram and Junior Firpo entered renewal negotiations. James Debayo was also offered new terms.
Meanwhile, Manor Solomon and Joe Rothwell returned to their parent clubs. It’s not certain whether intentions over either player were talked about during that Farke sit-down but it would have been surprising if there had not at least been a mere mention.
In truth, there is only so much to discuss. With any decision resting on the stance of the parent club, Leeds can do little more than outline whether they would like to keep the loanee if the circumstances are right.
Numerous factors come into play, including the player’s mindset, the price tag and wages. And it doesn’t help when the talent in question is unsure what lies ahead.
Manor Solomon was due to speak with his inner circle about the road ahead in the days after the parade, but a week later said he still had no idea what the summer holds. Marseille have ruled themselves out of a move, though that hardly makes the picture clearer.
Solomon was brought to Tottenham Hotspur by Ange Postecoglou, who could soon leave the club. A new manager would throw up different questions for Solomon to think through, though Champions League football is always a lure.
It has been noticeably quieter on the Joe Rothwell front. The midfielder has been enjoying his holidays with his family, having essentially spent a year away from them after moving to Leeds on his own. Farke waxed lyrical about Rothwell being a "baller" and how his touches in training were like “pure poetry”.
Yet he did admit there were elements of Rothwell's game he’d like to see him improve and was always hesitant to play him away from home, when Leeds were more likely to be on the back foot. He ended his loan spell without scoring too.
All of this means Farke looks less likely to repeat last year’s trick of acquiring a loan player permanently as his first signing, having done so with Joe Rodon in 2024. That was a slightly unique situation, with Tottenham softened by their wanting of Archie Gray.
In the end, the two players swapped clubs, albeit in separate deals and for different amounts. Rodon had said he “felt at home” at Leeds, making his decision a lot easier.
Solomon has declared that Leeds will “always be in his heart” which is a slightly different tone, although he has not ruled out a return. He told Leeds Live last month that Farke staying in situ would be a factor in considering a permanent move, if such an offer arrived.
His agent, Shlomy Ben Ezra, has admitted Solomon would prefer to stay in the Premier League too - but added that anything could still happen. Ambiguity may hang around for a while yet with June usually a month of groundwork before decisions are made in July.
Some deals could be done before then but with the new profitability and sustainability cycle not commencing until next month, and with many out on international duty in the interim, the odds lower. A lot can change in a month, true.
But as things stand, the chances of a repeat of last year and Tottenham's Solomon being a first signing of the summer - let alone one at all - look slim.