OPINION
Leeds United are reportedly in the hunt to re-sign defender Matthew Pennington on loan from Everton this summer – and director of football Victor Orta has lost his head if he thinks that this will be a good signing.
Pennington, 23, spent last season on loan at Elland Road, appearing 24 times across all competitions as he played back-up to Liam Cooper and Pontus Jansson.
He returned to Goodison Park at the end of last season and signed a new contract with Everton, even though his form in the Championship was at times best described as laughable.
And now, the Liverpool Echo has reported that Leeds are interested in signing Pennington on loan once again, while Wigan have also enquired about a short-term deal for the centre-back.
The Whites are yet to sign a new centre-back since his exit, with Marcelo Bielsa mainly playing midfielders in his defence in pre-season friendlies.
Cooper and Jansson are known to struggle with injuries and have consistent issues with discipline, so Leeds definitely could do with bolstering their options there so they do not face a crisis as they did last term when a spate of youngsters were called up from the Under-23s to play in the Championship.
But they should be avoiding Pennington at all costs after he flopped at Elland Road last term, and should use their newfound urgency in the transfer window to sign a defender who has proven himself to be top-class in the Championship in recent seasons.
Orta has already let fans down a lot since he was hired as director of football at Elland Road, and surely he is crazy to think that re-signing Pennington would actually be a good idea.