Guillem Balague: Junior Firpo lost confidence at FC Barcelona
Leeds United are signing a young and energetic full-back in Junior Firpo, claims Guillem Balague.
The Whites are expected to finalise the signing of the Barcelona defender in the next few hours, per a report in Sport.
Despite his career not kicking off the way he wanted to after moving to the Camp Nou from Real Betis, Balague has seen enough from the 24-year-old to make an assessment.
He said, via his personal Twitter account, “Junior is not the player seen at Barcelona.
“What Leeds United is getting is a young energetic full-back that needs space in front of him to make an impact. Better running with the ball than attacking a static defence.
“Has lost confidence but has lots of it when playing well.”
Good signing for us
Gjanni Alioski’s contract has expired and he’s unlikely to have a sudden change of heart which will leave us in desperate need of reinforcements at left-back.
Even if he stays on, he’s likely not good enough to be a first-team regular and we need someone who enjoys the role and is willing to put in the hard yards from start to end.
Junior Firpo seems to be that kind of a player. Having watched him week in and week out under Real Betis, he is the sort of player that managers deploying counter-pressing systems would love to have in their team.
Much like Firpo, Quique Setien’s career did not take off at Barcelona, but the left-back was a phenomenon under the Spaniard at the Benito Villamarin.
We expect him to be an equally terrifying prospect under Marcelo Bielsa who plays a brand of football very similar to Setien.
Both managers like to play in tight spaces before asking their central players to quickly switch the play in the direction of the attacking full-backs.
Defensively, Firpo may have to be better, but at 24, he can still improve on that aspect of his game at Elland Road.
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