Phil Hay delivers verdict on Leeds player who is ‘so far out of the picture’
Phil Hay has suggested that Marcelo Bielsa rates other Leeds United U23s higher than midfielder Mateusz Bogusz.
The 18-year-old arrived at Elland Road in January of last year, but has made just one senior appearance for the Whites this season.
And even with EFL regulations stating that Championship sides can have nine substitutes on the bench to help cope with the rustiness of a post-lockdown return to action, the Poland youth international is nowhere near the match day squad.
Writing in a Q&A for The Athletic, Hay addressed the youngster’s absence.
He said: “I’m not aware of Bogusz being injured so you can only surmise that he’s further down the list of 23s who Bielsa rates.
“There was a feeling last summer that he might step it up this season but it hasn’t happened.
“Not entirely sure why he’s so far out of the picture.”
Things don’t look too bright for Bogusz, that much is for sure.
Whereas we are seeing other promising young players making their through the ranks at Elland Road, the teenager seems to have hit a sticky patch.
At this age, that’s not a disaster by any means, but when the level of expectation and competition is as high as it is at Leeds, a short malaise can very quickly become a real problem.
The fact that he is already being linked with the likes of Napoli would suggest that he is not entirely satisfied with his current situation at Elland Road, and you would have to say that it’s not particularly easy to see how or when he could expect to make a break into the starting XI in the near future.
If Bielsa isn’t keen it could be a long road back to redemption.
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