Leeds United transfer news: ‘Massive asset’ Luis Sinisterra back in training as Phil Hay shares potential exit update
There has yet to be any “concrete interest” in Luis Sinisterra during the transfer window and Leeds United would be happy to keep him, according to Phil Hay.
The Colombian arrived from Feyenoord last summer for £20million [The Athletic] but had his first season in England badly wrecked by injury.
A host of attacking options have been linked to departures this summer, with Rodrigo the first to go after Fabrizio Romano reported his exit to Al Rayyan in Qatar Wednesday (12 July), Sinisterra might be expected to follow, but for now the Whites are in line to retain a “massive asset” for the Championship.
Hay said on the Square Ball on Tuesday (11 July, 7m 5s): “Sinisterra is interesting, he’s back training now so seems to have got over his injuries from the back end of last season.
“He is certainly amongst those players who might well attract bids that mean that he moves on in this window, but I don’t think that he’s somebody who Leeds would be in any way disappointed to keep.
“Of the little we’ve seen of him he looks like a very talented footballer and I think would be comfortably above the standard of the Championship and a massive asset if Leeds were able to keep him for that division and able to keep him fit.
“It’s really still to develop there and still to become clear… he is a quality footballer and when he’s fit there would be clubs at a higher level who would take him.”
He summed up: “With Sinisterra I’m not aware of any firm approaches at the minute or any concrete interest in him, but because Leeds have been relegated and are not in a position of strength to negotiate over valuations or transfer fees they will know that they will be vulnerable and potentially caught out by late bids.”
No news is good news
Sinisterra is clearly good enough to feature in a top European league, after he scored 23 goals in all competitions for Feyenoord the season before last.
In his interrupted Leeds United campaign he still managed seven goals in just 22, often substitute, outings, so his quality isn’t in doubt.
If he can stay fit then he would be a major boost to Daniel Farke’s hopes of leading the Whites to promotion, but that has to be open to question after he was ruled out with three separate issues last term.
The Colombian, 24, would surely be at even greater risk of a January departure than a summer one if he were to prove his fitness through the first half of the season.
And it will be difficult for the manager to plan for his presence even for the first few months of the campaign with any sort of certainty given the potential for a club to take a risk on his availability up until deadline day.
But as it stands there doesn’t look to be a huge market for his services, in contrast to plenty of his teammates who have been linked far and wide.
If he stays and plays it would be a definite boost, but both will remain in the balance right up until they actually happen.
In other Leeds United news, a reported agreement to sell an Elland Road star has been disputed as the Whites look to cling on.