OPINION
Leeds United must sell left-back Laurens De Bock at the end of the season.
Capped by Belgium at Under-21 level, the 26-year-old was hailed as a shrewd signing when he arrived from Club Brugge in January of last year on a four-and-a-half year contract.
It’s fair to say he did not live up to expectations and plenty were wondering why on earth Leeds had forked out a fee of around £1.5million and he had been handed such a lengthy deal.
De Bock was frozen out of the squad in the second half of last season and Marcelo Bielsa agreed with the assessment of ex-boss Paul Heckingbottom, giving the green light for him to be loaned out in 2018-19.
The Belgian did not make the Leeds squad for the first four matches of the campaign and, in late, August, joined top-tier side K.V. Oostende on a season-long loan.
Back in his homeland, De Bock has been in and out of the Oostende side, having an extended run in the starting XI before being benched for the last four matches.
Leeds will hope a player with more than 250 senior appearances in Belgium will soon be recalled, as the best chance they have of recouping the fee they paid last year is for him to be playing regularly.
Whatever happens, there is surely no way back for De Bock at Elland Road.
The club have moved on, now have two fine players at left-back – Barry Douglas and the transformed man in possession, Ezgjan Alioski – and must look to get rid of the Belgian on a permanent transfer.