Leeds are short on goal-scorers at the moment and there is a possibility that Under-23 star Ryan Edmondson could be included on the bench for Sunday’s game against Ipswich, according to Yorkshire Evening Post journalists Phil Hay and Joe Urquhart.
Patrick Bamford is set to miss out through suspension and Kemar Roofe hasn’t started a game since February 13.
Hay and Urquhart were discussing the potential team for Sunday’s final game of the season against rock-bottom and already relegated Ipswich. And both think that Marcelo Bielsa could look to the 17-year-old to give him a run-out.
They were talking on the latest episode of the Inside Elland Road podcast (23 mins) where Hay said, “He is a striker who’s bang in form and if you were about to dip into the Under-23s for someone to play up front you wouldn’t look anywhere else.”
Urquhart said it would be “interesting to see if he travels this weekend”.
He went on to say: “The biggest improvement… his body shape has changed massively, he’s trimmed down and he’s much more sleek and agile, and he’s a physical presence for a 17-year-old. He’s bullied defenders in the Under-23s but you can outgrow Under-23s and still not be ready for the first team.
“His natural next step is to put him out on loan this season but needs must at the moment, so why not?”
OPINION
We’d love to see Edmondson get a first-team shot on Sunday and we’re sure plenty of Leeds fans would too. Why not? Third place is already pretty much nailed on and if Leeds are two or three up in the second-half, Bielsa could easily afford to see what Edmondson has got on the big stage. Bamford is likely out for the first leg of the semi-final and if anything were to happen to Roofe, Bielsa surely needs another goal-scorer on the bench. Edmondson can score. He’s been banging them in for the Under-23s and scored his 19th goal for them on Monday. He has made two senior cameo appearances for Leeds last year and he could be ready to make a step up. It’s interesting that Urquhart says his next step should be to go out on loan, though. We’d like to see him get a shot at Elland Road first.