Daniel Farke ‘really rates’ Jamie Shackleton, may now tell Leeds United to sort new contract – Phil Hay
Daniel Farke may ask Leeds United to speak to Jamie Shackleton and get him signed to a new contract because he “really rates” him, according to Phil Hay.
The Athletic journalist said on The Square Ball (22 September) that it “honestly wouldn’t surprise” him if the Whites boss got the club to re-sign the versatile “great pro”, but noted it is “forever difficult” for the 23-year-old to hold down a regular place.
Hay doesn’t see a route into the side for Shackleton in his preferred central midfield role, and with the former Millwall loanee’s contract currently set to expire at the end of the season expects him to be “mindful” of how much he would play going forward.
Hay said (34m 55s): “I still do wonder with [Charlie] Cresswell and Shackleton where this will go as the season goes on.
“Farke clearly really rates Shackleton and it honestly wouldn’t surprise me if he does say to the club, ‘We need to speak to him about a new contract because he’s worth keeping’.
“But I know that Shackleton will be mindful about how much he’s actually going to play, and for all that he’s spoken about constantly as this great pro, great kid, brilliant attitude, really good engine, a lot of talent, it’s just forever difficult for him to hold down a place.
“I don’t see him getting a game in centre midfield, which is surely where he’d love to play ideally.”
Utility man
It says a lot about how Farke views Shackleton’s use as a central midfielder that he bought three others this summer in Ethan Ampadu, Glen Kamara and Ilia Gruev, while using 17-year-old Archie Gray in every line-up so far.
But it equally shows how much value he sees in him that he has turned to him at multiple positions in times of need this season already.
When Willy Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra were both training away from the first team and Crysencio Summerville was injured Shackleton was given two starts on the wing, and he has since started twice at left-back in the Championship when Sam Byram wasn’t available.
With left-back permanently a less than straightforward position at Leeds United, as Junior Firpo is yet to feature at all this term through injury and Byram can’t currently play multiple games in the same week, that looks to be where Shackleton will get most of a look in.
Stuart Dallas is finally getting closer to a return after over a year out injured and the Northern Irishman has shown the value of a player who can slot in wherever needed and do a job.
Shackleton may not have had as much of an impact as his senior teammate yet, but the pair’s versatility is a manager’s dream, so if it works financially it would make a lot of sense to get a new deal worked out.
If the club sees fit to finally sign a specialist left-back in upcoming windows it would necessarily reduce his chances to play, but if he has a new contract it would at least give the Whites a chance to get some money in for him should he then decide to move on.
In other Leeds United news, Luis Sinisterra has broken his silence on a “really difficult” situation over his controversial deadline day move to Bournemouth.