Winger Samuel Saiz’s Leeds United odyssey came to an end on Thursday, as the club confirmed on their official website that the Spaniard has completed a permanent move to Segunda Division side Girona.
The playmaker has been at Elland Road since the summer of 2017, when he joined from Huesca. However, his desire to return to his native Spain was clear this past January, where he forced his way into a loan move to Getafe.
The 28-year-old has now joined Girona on a permanent deal, bringing to a close his tantalisingly frustrating time in Yorkshire. The Spaniard produced spells of form where he looked like the best player in the Championship, but you can’t keep a player who doesn’t want to stay, and that’s the end of it.
The problem for Leeds will be replacing Saiz on a full-time basis. As per WhoScored.com, the playmaker produced a decent return over the first half of last season, being second to Pablo Hernandez in most offensive statistical categories, and ahead of fellow Whites Jack Harrison and Stuart Dallas in the majority of them.
This is what the Leeds fans are saying about him:
Why’s everyone annoyed that he’s left he was on loan last season and didn’t even want to be at the club.
— harvey (@harvey85105976) July 18, 2019
Good, that's one situation that needed sorting out once and for all. Such a shame.
— Jo ? (@El_Loco_Jo) July 18, 2019
https://twitter.com/BarneyStuart21/status/1151850788135821312
People are fuming when he's up for match fixing ?? the lad has ruined his career unfortunately, class at times but the wrong mindset towards football
— Zack Gurd (@ZackGurd) July 18, 2019
Clearly there are plenty of Leeds supporters who are happy that the winger has moved on this summer, with one referencing the on-field problems Saiz has been going through in recent years.
Others cited the money gained from his sale as now being available to be used on a centre back which the club desperately need, in one fan’s opinion free agent Gary Cahill. Then there’s the supporter who is simply happy for the situation to be sorted out once and for all, with it having dragged on for quite some time now.
https://twitter.com/___CGZ___/status/1151846807028326401
— Tyler (@LUFCTy) July 18, 2019
https://twitter.com/SmithLeedsUtd/status/1151862114124029952
“Undisclosed fee” is just another phrase for “Absolute peanuts”
— King Coops? (@FPLKingCoops) July 18, 2019
Then there’s the Leeds supporters who are upset that this transfer has gone through, as well as using Saiz’s sale to frame their frustration at the fire sale which has gone on at Elland Road this summer. Perhaps they think the club haven’t brought enough players in to cover the ones who have gone, but they’re clearly annoyed at something.
One fan clearly doesn’t think they got value for Saiz, joking that he was probably sold for a £5 note. Saiz is a quality player, but the fact that Girona are a Spanish second division side suggests the White may not have got value for him.