By Craig Scott

9th Mar, 2023 | 8:10am

Luis Sinisterra starts to look like £21m Victor Orta flop unless Javi Gracia speaks up at Leeds United

It’s time for Javi Gracia to go against his own approach and reveal to Leeds United fans when Luis Sinisterra will be able to return to action.

Leeds paid £21million to sign the 23-year-old Colombia winger from Feyenoord in the summer transfer window [Daily Mail]. But since then, he’s started just eight Premier League matches due to continual injury issues, as well as a one-match ban.

In his 12 league appearances for the Whites, Sinisterra has scored two goals with both of them coming in back-to-back games against Everton and Brentford in August and September respectively.

And since his sending-off in the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa on 2 October, Sinisterra has played just six times in the top flight.

Injuries are an unfortunate issue for the former Feyenoord winger, who did so well in the Netherlands last season as he helped the Rotterdam side reach the Europa Conference League final.

However, how many injuries can a player have in their first season before they started to be deemed as a flop?

Victor Orta has had many of them over the years at Elland Road.

We’re not going to lie, he’s had more misses than hits but the hits – such as Raphinha and Illan Meslier – have been above and beyond what most clubs of our size have been able to do.

Orta deserves a lot of credit – but he should also be criticised when needs be.

Patrick Bamford’s continual injury issues and Leeds’ lack of a striker has been constantly overlooked and not really taken seriously by Orta.

And the Spanish director of football looks as though he’s signed a crock to replace Raphinha.

It’s unclear when Sinisterra will be back because he hasn’t played in over a month now.

Javi Gracia doesn’t share any injury details in his press conferences, which is understandable but also quite annoying when you’re eager for an update on a player like Sinisterra.

Leeds fans are owed news on the Colombian winger, who looked bright in spells before injuries derailed his debut season in West Yorkshire.

Gracia should break his own protocol and maybe relieve some of the pressure on Orta by telling Leeds fans that Sinisterra is back soon – if that’s the case.

If that’s not the case and Sinisterra is going to be out for weeks, months or even the rest of the season, being quiet might only exacerbate the problem.

In other Leeds United news, Simon Jordan has shared his verdict on the “cataclysmic fall from grace” that faces the Whites.

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