Leeds United forward Marcus Antonsson has admitted that he would consider quitting Elland Road this summer after reportedly attracting attention from Sweden.
Swedish news outlet Expressen reports that European club Malmo are in the hunt to sign Antonsson, 27, as a replacement for club legend Marcus Rosenberg after he fell down the pecking order at Elland Road and was shipped out on loan to Blackburn Rovers last season.
The former Kalmar ace has now hinted that he would be willing to return to Sweden, saying that he is honoured to be considered by a club like Malmo.
“I follow all Swedish very close and it is close to my heart so it is clear that it is flattering when the top clubs in all Sweden show interest,” Antonsson told Expressen.
When asked if he wants to return to Sweden this summer, the Leeds striker said: “I do not close any doors at all. It can be anything but I assume I’m Leeds player when I get back and drive out of it.”
Fotbol Direkt has previously reported that wages could be an issue for Antonsson to return to Sweden, claiming that he is current earning £64,000-a-month, which equates to £16,000-a-week.
OPINION
Antonsson will not be missed if Leeds were to sell him this summer. He did a decent job at Blackburn last season before his injury in the winter, which led to manager Tony Mowbray replacing him in the January transfer window. He scored eight goals in 34 appearances across all competitions for Rovers as they earned promotion back to the Championship, but that surely isn’t enough to convince Victor Orta that he is worth keeping around at Elland Road. At the age of 27, Antonsson needs to be playing regularly, and the thought of moving back to Sweden to play for his nation’s biggest club Malmo will surely interest him. He will regularly challenge for silverware there and could end up playing in the Champions League too. The forward’s wages are said to be surprisingly big for his role in the squad, and Orta must get rid of him if he can.