OPINION
Victor Orta would be making a big mistake if Leeds United were to cash in on left-back Tom Pearce in the summer transfer window.
According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds are willing to listen to offers for the 21-year-old defender, who spent the second half of the season on loan at Scunthorpe in League One.
However a player with Pearce’s potential needs to be kept on by the Whites because it is clear that if his development continues at the rate it’s currently going at then he’s going to be worth more next summer than in this current window.
The England Under-21 international only made two first team appearances under Marcelo Bielsa’s leadership in the first half of the campaign but the Argentine could definitely have done with having him around in the last month or so due to injuries to Ezgjan Alioski and Barry Douglas.
Pearce is definitely good enough to be a back-up left-back for the Whites right now and he certainly has the ability to be a regular in the Championship in a few years’ time.
Obviously Leeds might outgrow Pearce’s quality, but his transfer value will only continue to rise, and it’s not like there’s a rush to get rid of him because his contract does not expire for another three years.
If Bielsa remains in charge then he should definitely keep Douglas as his first-choice left-back and then either use Pearce as his second-choice, or sent the English youth international back out on loan.
He has only made 19 first team appearances in his entire career to date, so getting a a full season under his belt in League One next term might be a good idea as well.
Either way, it would me a major error by Orta and Bielsa if Pearce was to leave this summer, and any offers to sign him should only be considered if they are irresistible.