Daniel Feliciano

Sat 12 August 2023 9:10, UK

Luis Sinisterra has not travelled with the Leeds United squad to face Birmingham City on Saturday, according to Last Word on Sports.

Writing on their website (12 August), the news outlet report that the Colombia international hasn’t travelled with the squad in a blow just hours after it was announced that Wilfried Gnonto had refused to play.

But the report suggests that Sinisterra’s absence could be injury-related rather than transfer-related, and it’s possible he could travel on his own after undergoing a late fitness test.

“According to Last Word on Football’s sources, a second major Leeds United player is not travelling to St. Andrews to take on Birmingham City,” they wrote.

“After the club announced Willy Gnonto’s refusal to play, Luis Sinisterra is reportedly also staying in West Yorkshire for the clash.

“Last Word on Football’s sources have been clear; the Colombian winger is not travelling to the Midlands to take on Birmingham. Our source revealed the news shortly after his Italian teammates’ refusal to travel was revealed by the club, with one potential motive being that he is also pushing for a move away from Elland Road.

“However, there are alternative motives at play. Sinisterra has a chequered injury history with several examples of issues keeping him out of the side for weeks at a time.

“There is a chance that an injury issue is flaring up again, and this isn’t an issue of refusal, but rather not being able to travel due to fitness issues. In the event that he isn’t travelling due to injury concerns, this could change with a late fitness test.”

Blow

If Sinisterra has also decided to take matters into his own hands about an exit then serious questions need to be asked about how the club are handling transfer situations in this window.

However, Daniel Farke revealed after the win over Shrewsbury that Sinisterra has been carrying a bit of a knock which is what caused him to only start on the bench and it could be that has flared up again.

Sinisterra was reportedly a target for the likes of AC Milan earlier in the window but it has since come out that he is expected to stay at the club beyond the current window.

We need players that are committed to the cause and if Sinisterra is willing to play through an injury against lower-league opposition then you’d suspect he’s willing to stick around in the Championship too.

Hopefully he is fit, travels alone and this whole thing gets laughed off as fake news but if there is something to it then we could have a big problem with our attacking options for the game.

In other Leeds news, one star missed training in midweek and won’t play v Birmingham.