Marcelo Bielsa has suggested that Kamil Miazek might still have a future at Leeds United after returning to the matchday squad since the restart.
Miazek, 23, has never made a senior appearance for Leeds but he has been named on the bench a number of times by the Whites boss.
Six of those times have come since the Championship season resumed last month with Miazek replacing Elia Caprile on the bench while Kiko Casilla was suspended and Illan Meslier stepped up to the number one role.
Miazek’s contract was due to expire on June 30 but, clearly, he has signed an extension to keep him at the club until at least the season ends.
And it seems that the decision to drop Caprile and replace him with Miazek was based on the fact that January signing Caprile hasn’t been at the club long and Miazek’s impressed in training.
“Caprile is a young ‘keeper. He doesn’t have a long period in the club, but his evolution is positive. Kamil now is second because he deserves it a lot. His qualities and because he worked very hard,” Bielsa said on Tuesday, as quoted by LeedsLive, when asked to explain why Caprile had lost his spot to the Polish ‘keeper.
LeedsLive journalist Joe Mewis has previously said that Miazek “does not appear to have much of a future at the club“.
At the time that seemed true as the Polish goalkeeper’s deal ended in June, an extension did not seem to be on the horizon and he had outgrown the Under-23s team without stepping up into the first-team.
It remains to be seen what will happen with Miazek after the season ends and his – presumed – short-term contract extension expires.
But based on Bielsa’s words, it does seem as though Miazek has done enough to win over the Leeds boss and potentially win himself a new contract.
Caprile might feel aggrieved by all this.
The 18-year-old Italian joined Leeds permanently from Chievo in January and with Miazek available, he was thrust into the senior squad pre-lockdown when Casilla was banned.
Caprile is five years younger than Miazek, is an Italy Under-18 international and could be a bit annoyed that he made the squad, only to lose his place for Bielsa to say that it is down to him not being at the club long.
It’s an odd situation but Caprile is young and will need to show his determination to get over this setback by producing in training and catching the eye of Bielsa once more.
In other Leeds United news, Hadi Sacko has replied to Kalvin Phillips’ post about his injury.