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Whelan: Midfield duo must leave Leeds

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OPINION

Leeds United must have set their sights on promotion to the Premier League next season after coming desperately close in the last campaign.

Many injuries altered their run to the top of the Championship, with their academy starlets managing to prove their worth on a weekly basis after being given the chance at senior football by Marcelo Bielsa.

The Argentine put more faith in the club’s youngsters rather than calling back more senior players who were out on loan throughout the campaign.

Midfield duo Ouasim Bouy and Yosuke Ideguchi have both failed to make a competitive appearance in a Leeds shirt, with both spending last season out on loan.

Former Leeds striker Noel Whelan believes that the Whites need to offload the pair in the summer as they are not good enough to star under Bielsa at Elland Road.

In an interview with Football Insider, Whelan said: “In my eyes, no, because they’re not good enough. They’ve been on loan for two seasons, which tells you everything you need to know. If they were good enough, they would be in the first-team squad.”

“I’m all for giving people a chance. But you have to question why they haven’t been given one. If we can get them off the payroll, I’d be doing that as soon as possible.”

Whelan is spot on with his verdict on the two midfielders, who have failed to make an impact in Yorkshire since arriving two years ago.

If Bielsa was interested in their ability they would have been involved at least off the bench, but both Ideguchi and Bouy have been nowhere to be seen.

Japanese international Ideguchi spent last season on loan at Greuther Furth and only made eight appearances after suffering an injury and after a failed spell at Cultural Leonesa last season, he does not look to have the quality required despite his international experience.

Meanwhile Bouy spent the campaign in the Eredivisie at PEC Zwolle, but only managed to make 17 league appearances, with only 38% of those coming from the first whistle.

Leeds cannot afford to be carrying deadweights around in their squad if they mean business next season and must make a statement by permanently offloading this senior duo from the club, as they definitely don’t have a future at Elland Road.

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