MOT View: Leeds fringe player proves worth again with another blinding display
When it comes to Player of the Season it’s fair to say that Gaetano Berardi isn’t going to get a look in.
The 31-year-old is very much a fringe player for Marcelo Bielsa but if there was an Unsung Hero of the Season he’d be an absolute shoo-in.
Whenever he’s been called on he’s done an absolutely brilliant job this season with stats backing him up.
He put in another blinding shift on Saturday against Huddersfield after getting the call-up on Friday night when Kalvin Phillips was ruled out of the game after failing a late fitness test.
Ben White moved up to the defensive midfield position and Berardi lined-up alongside Liam Cooper and helped keep another clean sheet.
His stats from the Huddersfield game prove he’s a proper Bielsa player.
He completed the highest passing accuracy of any starting player and made the most passes of anyone on the pitch.
Bielsa paid tribute to him after the game saying, “One of the best performances of the team… He is also a leader, supporting every teammate”.
That’s why it’s such a surprise that, so far, Berardi hasn’t been offered a new contract.
He’s out of contract in the summer and is the only player whose deal is expiring who hasn’t been given an extension.
Surely a short-term deal is the least Berardi deserves?
It’s possible that he might want to move back to Italy in the summer but given that Leeds are likely to be in the Premier League you’d think that he would want a crack at the top flight.
At the very least we’d like to know that he’s been offered the chance to stay at Elland Road.
In other Leeds United news, EFL to meet today for talks that could have huge impact on Leeds promotion run-in