Leeds United are set to terminate the loan deal of Jamal Blackman after his horror injury on Friday, according to Phil Hay.
The Yorkshire Evening Post correspondent reported on his personal Twitter account on Friday night that the Championship promotion hopefuls are not expecting to see the Chelsea loanee again this season after he suffered a fractured leg in the 3-0 Under-23s defeat against Birmingham City at Thorp Arch.
Hay explained that Blackman has returned to parent club Chelsea for his rehabilitation and the “loan is effectively over before it got started”.
Blackman loan effectively over before it got started. That leaves BPF – presumably with Will Huffer as cover on the bench. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) November 16, 2018
OPINION
What a shattering blow for Blackman, whose spell at Leeds is set to end with just two appearances – both in the League Cup – and the memory of the horror injury suffered in a youth-team match. It was confirmed on Friday evening that the 25-year-old fractured his tibia in the closing stages of the Professional Development League fixture, ending at a stroke his season-long loan and also his chance of displacing Bailey Peacock-Farrell as the number one. Blackman would have had high hopes of doing so after the Northern Ireland international’s ropey recent form, including his blunder for West Brom’s second goal in last weekend’s 4-1 hammering. Of all the positions in Marcelo Bielsa’s side, those of goalkeeper and left-winger look in most urgent need of attention ahead of the return to Championship action next weekend. Do Leeds now look to recruit another keeper? Or, do they put their trust in Peacock-Farrell and fellow academy product Will Huffer?