Leeds United

Leeds United: Pete O’Rourke’s doubt over forward’s future

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Image for Leeds United: Pete O’Rourke’s doubt over forward’s future

Journalist Pete O’Rourke recently delivered a damning prediction over the future of Ian Poveda at Leeds United, who may be facing an uncertain time at the club amid the arrival of Jesse Marsch. 

The 2021/22 season is coming to a close, with most teams left with only six games to play. This means the summer transfer window will shortly open and will give new Leeds manager Marsch his first chance to change his squad and despatch the players that will not fit his plans. Unfortunately for Poveda, it looks like his head could be on the chopping block once the window opens in June.

Poveda, who is valued at £1.8 million (as per Transfermarkt), has enjoyed a loan spell this season in the Championship with Blackburn Rovers, who sit seventh in the battle for a play-off place in the Championship, however, he has failed to set the world alight during his stint away and may have therefore landed himself on the transfer list.

While discussing his future alongside the likes of fellow loanees Kiko Casilla and Laurens De Bock, O’Rourke confirmed his feelings that he is not in Marsch’s future plans when talking to GiveMeSport, saying: “I think, looking at the bigger picture, these players don’t seem to be part of the long-term future at Leeds United.”

TIF Thoughts on Ian Poveda’s future at Leeds…

Poveda has undergone a bit of a transformation whilst being injured this season as he now looks like a completely new player having piled on a lot of muscle with all the gym work he’s clearly been doing.

Despite this, Marsch will want to lay down the plans for his vision of the club after taking over from Marcelo Bielsa, and getting rid of the team’s dross and freeing up salary space for his future purchases is key to cultivating the new Leeds.

Getting rid of bit-part players like Poveda could be considered essential after failing to make an impact on the team since their promotion to the top flight, as well as at his loan team this season, even if it has been an injury-hit campaign for the youngster.

During Poveda’s time at Blackburn this season, the Englishman has only featured in eight games, scoring once and assisting twice (Transfermarkt), and only averaging 0.5 shots and 0.6 key passes per game while being dispossessed 1.5 times and having 2.3 bad controls per game as well (as per WhoScored).

We feel now is a good time for Marsch to move on from Poveda and let him continue his career with regular game time elsewhere.

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