BBC pundit Noel Whelan has heaped praise on Leeds loanee Mallik Wilks and said he will be challenging for a place in the first-team on his return.
The 20-year-old winger has had a standout season at League One Doncaster, where he’s scored 16 goals and added nine assists in 52 games across all competitions.
And Whelan says his “brilliant” form could land him in the first-team at Elland Road.
Talking to Football Insider Whelan said, “He has done himself lots of favours.
“Wilks will be quietly confident that when he comes back during pre-season he will be given an opportunity to push for the first-team squad.
“We don’t have any strikers, just Patrick Bamford and Kemar Roofe. Apart from that, the cupboard is bare. Tyler Roberts isn’t really a centre-forward and we need to find his best position.
“Leeds are crying out for a regular goalscorer, this season has showed that. Can Wilks be that player? I don’t know, but he’s been brilliant at Doncaster and I expect him to challenge in pre-season.”
OPINION
Oh how Leeds needed a winger capable of scoring 5-6 goals in the second-half of this season. Wilks was probably not ready but he’s been banging the goals in for Doncaster and Leeds fans would love to see Wilks make it at Elland Road. The 20-year-old has come up through the youth ranks at Leeds and this is his third loan spell away after stints at Acrrington and Grimsby Town. Wilks will have been watching the Leeds move for Swansea winger Dan James break down in January with interest. James has had a brilliant 2019 and it’s likely that he will cost much more than the reported £7million in the summer, and bigger clubs could be circulating for him. Wilks’ job in pre-season is to persuade Bielsa that he can be the man and save the club money. Bielsa will know all about Wilks and Whelan certainly thinks he’s got a chance at breaking into the first-team irrespective of which division they end up in.