Leeds United transfer news as exit-bound players disrespectful – Sky Sports pundit
By Daniel Carter.
David Prutton believes that Leeds United players who “deem themselves too good in the Championship” have been disrespectful following the club’s relegation.
Since the West Yorkshire side’s relegation from the Premier League was confirmed on the final day of the season, there have been countless reports linking the likes of Illan Meslier and Jack Harrison with moves away from Elland Road.
But after a difficult season where three different managers struggled to get a consistent tune out of the players at their disposal, Prutton expected more from those who failed to keep Leeds in the Premier League.
In his column for the Yorkshire Evening Post, the wrote, “It’s a funny one really because you look at these players that deem themselves too good to be in the Championship, yet they stunk up the Premier League.
“I’ve always wondered that. I have never been in that position as a player and anyone who saw me for ten minutes would have known that with bells on – that you can’t just pick and choose where you go.
“I always found that tremendously disrespectful because they got a platform in the Premier League, the glitziest, the richest, the most coveted division on the planet.
“And to all intents and purposes, most of them didn’t perform so whether that’s reflective of them as individuals or how they fit in collectively is a different debate.
“For the ones that don’t want to be there, see you later, bye, thanks for coming. Let’s get you out. Let’s get people in here that want to dig in and work their way through the Championship.”
Harsh?
It’s no secret that Leeds were well below the standard that warranted Premier League survival, but there were still glimmers of the quality that some at Elland Road possess.
Rodrigo was the stand-out performer, managing to find the net 15 times in 35 appearances and rightfully this has seen him already attract some speculation.
Then there are the likes of Patrick Bamford, who must still be ruing that costly miss against Leicester back in April that could’ve given the Whites a chance of survival in the Premier League.
With only four goals in 28 appearances, he could well be thrown into the category of those who “stunk up the Premier League” this season, but he’s earned plenty of credit in the past, managing 17 goals in the 2021/22 campaign.
Similarly, Illan Meslier has earnt plenty of praise throughout his time in England and despite his struggles this season, a 23-year-old French youth international, with over 100 appearances will obviously warrant attention.
There will be many situations to keep an eye on, that’s for sure.
In other Leeds United news, the club may now face a losing battle to keep their star player at Elland Road beyond the summer transfer window.