Ian Poveda wows away from Leeds United as international media speak out
Leeds United winger Ian Poveda claimed his first-ever international cap with Colombia as they defeated Venezuela in a friendly and Infobae sang his praises.
Despite only managing six league appearances under Daniel Farke this season, starting once against Birmingham City, Poveda was allowed to join Colombia for their last two fixtures of 2023.
The 23-year-old capsulated the viewers on Sunday night with his performance, making himself a new fan-favourite for the national team and earning his plaudits from local journalists.
Colombian news outlet Infobae wrote on Monday 11 December: “The 23-year-old striker started the match, exploiting mainly the left wing and his game ended up being liked quite a lot among the fans of the Tricolor, who gave him their stamp of approval to form future call-ups for more important matches.
“During the eighty minutes of play that Poveda had against Venezuela, he was one of the team’s most outstanding players.
“He managed to see the ball on 29 occasions, of which 18 were passes and 16 of them reached his receiver, signing an accuracy of 89%.
“In addition to his collective statistics, he was also liked in his individual game, since apart from having explosion on the wing, he also has defensive dedication, a profile that fits perfectly to what the national team is looking for.”
Happy for him
Having come through the English youth ranks, Poveda has never been given the opportunity by the England national team. However, he has been allowed to show Colombia exactly what Leeds fans have known he is capable of for years.
It has never quite worked out for the winger at Elland Road either, experiencing loans to Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool since leaving Manchester City in 2020.
Poveda is lightning-quick on the wing and possesses the ability to beat any defender if he puts his mind to it. But it just has not happened at Leeds. His cameo for Colombia may even lead to more frustration as he struggles for form at club level.
However, it is still a good sign that Poveda has still got that skill that led the Whites to bring him to the club in the first place. It may be that Leeds need to sell him for the player to find his true potential.
Because with Crysencio Summerville and Dan James performing on the wings, and Wilfried Gnonto ready on the bench, there is little point for Poveda to stay. There is no position for him to fight for.
In other Leeds United news, our Expert also believes that the Whites could fine one of their players after an incident