Phil Hay has been speaking on the latest edition of The Phil Hay Show about why Pontus Jansson was allowed to leave Elland Road last summer.
The Athletic reporter discussed various other things, but spent a bit of time on Jansson and revealed why he left for Brentford in the summer of 2019.
This is what he had to say on Jansson’s relationship with Marcelo Bielsa, and how his need for attention was one of the reasons he was allowed to leave.
“That was part of the reason why it went the way it did; I wrote in that big piece I did on Bielsa last Friday that it was just a case of reaching the end of the line.
“Bielsa was getting tired of him, tired of his character, and wanted a change, so Jansson went, and Jansson went for what was a pretty low fee – £5m to Brentford.”
So, it seems as if Bielsa had seen enough of the Swedish international, which was why he was moved on by the Whites.
Was Bielsa right to let Jansson leave?
Yes, it has worked out perfectly
No, imagine how easy it might have been with Jansson
TIF Thoughts…
Jansson played 41 games in Bielsa’s first season, so it was not like he was a bit-part player; he was an important member of the first team, but it is clear that the Argentine had seen enough of his antics.
Since his departure, Leeds have finished with the best defence in the league, while Jansson’s Bees have the second-best, while they just missed out on automatic promotion and must now try and win a Premier League place through the play-offs.
It is clear, though, that Jansson did not suit the Whites under Bielsa, and the move worked out perfectly for Leeds as they were promoted to the Premier League as champions of the second tier.