Leeds United defender Paudie O’Connor has been told that he can be expected to be sent out on loan this summer with him seemingly not featuring in Marcelo Bielsa’s first-team plans, according to the Mirror.
The newspaper claimed via their live transfer blog on Thursday [01:15pm] that O’Connor, 20, will be handed a new contract at Elland Road before he is shipped out on loan and an announcement about his fresh terms will be made within the next 24 hours.
It is understood that Bielsa’s plans to bolster his newly-inherited defence this summer means that a loan exit to another Championship club or to League One is the best option for O’Connor, who made four league appearances last season for the Whites.
Good move for Leeds?
O’Connor is a very promising young centre-back who needs game time.
He proved towards the end of last season that he can do a decent job in the Championship, but it’s more than likely that he will join a club further down the English Football League pyramid to continue his footballing education.
The Irish defender can be a star in the future, but he won’t get to that level by just making the odd appearance and it’s good that Bielsa has been honest with him and told him that he won’t feature for him much next season.
This is Futbol rating 10/10
Likely to happen?
It is understood that O’Connor is only on low wages so getting him tied down to a better deal is a good course of action to take and seems like that will be confirmed within the next day.
There will surely be a queue of clubs lining up to take him on loan after his impressive handful of appearances at the end of last term when Paul Heckingbottom faced an injury and suspension crisis in defence.
This is Futbol rating 9/10