Adam Forshaw hopes could be dealt major blow if Leeds United sign Lewis O’Brien
It has been a slow and mildly frustrating summer transfer window at Leeds United but Marcelo Bielsa and Victor Orta’s plans are far from complete.
In two weeks’ time, it will be deadline day and as it stands, Leeds have made just two first-team signings – and one of them is a number two goalkeeper.
On Saturday, we saw Bielsa name a starting line-up that was similar to the ones he named last season. If anything, it was weaker than most of his teams last term due to the lack of Kalvin Phillips and Diego Llorente.
One area that really needs to be strengthened is the centre of the midfield.
As Junior Firpo is the only natural left-back at Elland Road, Stuart Dallas is having to be called upon to drop back and fill in for him when he’s not available.
That left Rodrigo and Mateusz Klich to play in the midfield in the 5-1 defeat to Manchester United with Robin Koch sitting deep in Phillips’ usual role.
We need to add to the midfield and the player strongly linked with fulling that gap is Huddersfield’s Lewis O’Brien.
According to The Sun, Leeds are expected to make a £7million bid to sign the 22-year-old midfielder this week after two impressive seasons at the John Smith’s Stadium.
If Leeds can sign O’Brien then Bielsa will be getting a player he’s been linked with signing for several weeks and the Argentine is clear a fan of.
But what about the option that is already under his nose?
Adam Forshaw is getting back to full fitness and played for the Under-23s on Monday night in their 3-1 win against Crystal Palace in Premier League 2.
Forshaw, 29, started the match and was substituted off at half-time but it was yet another very encouraging sign that he’s fighting his way back.
We’d love to see Forshaw play for the first-team for the first time in two years.
However, a move for O’Brien will more than likely hinder the ex-Middlesbrough man’s chances of getting a chance for Bielsa this season.
If that’s the case, a loan move away from Leeds could be a good option for Forshaw to get himself back to peak fitness in the Championship. Otherwise, he could find himself behind Klich, Rodrigo, Rodrigo, Tyler Roberts, Phillips and O’Brien in Bielsa’s central midfield pecking order.
Forshaw deserves his shot but Bielsa isn’t the sentimental type and we assume he’d rather play a player he’s signed who’s young and has a big future ahead of him over someone who’s been injured for almost two years.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites have been urged to sign this £70million-rated forward.