Charlie Cresswell has decision to make as January Leeds United exit mooted – Graham Smyth
Charlie Cresswell will have a decision to make about potentially leaving Leeds United in January if his situation remains the same, according to Graham Smyth.
Speaking on the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Inside Elland Road podcast on Thursday (19 October, 29:47), the journalist said he believes Daniel Farke will continue to play Liam Cooper, Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon ahead of the 21-year-old.
He added that two injuries need to occur for the England U-21 international to get a start, but suggested that the Whites boss may have a “surprise up his sleeve” and will have a different role for the defender as was recently seen with Archie Gray playing at right-back against Bristol City.
“It will be a really interesting time in January,” said Smyth. “You don’t know if someone might pick up an injury. It almost feels to me like two need to pick up injuries for Cresswell to get a start right now because I think Farke plays Cooper, Struijk and Rodon before he plays Cresswell, that’s how it feels at the minute.
“But then who saw Archie Gray playing right-back? So Farke has maybe got a surprise up his sleeve, he’s maybe got a role for Cresswell or a game for Cresswell. But if the situation remains as it is, then he’s got a decision in January.”
Tough to call
This is an extremely tough situation to call as Farke has a difficult job on his hands in keeping all four of the centre-backs happy.
The fact of the matter is, that is something he isn’t realistically going to be able to do and, unfortunately, Cresswell finds himself as the fourth option behind the more senior players after playing just six times in all competitions so far this season.
There is no doubt that he’s good enough to play at Championship level after he had an excellent spell out on loan with Millwall during the last campaign.
He also recently showed that he is one of the brightest young centre-backs in the country, featuring heavily for England U-21s throughout the international break.
There is a strong chance that he is going to be eager to at least go out on loan in January because he really can’t afford for his development to stall at this point.
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