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Leeds United given boost in Haydon Roberts pursuit following Graham Potter comments
Leeds United could still sign young centre-back Haydon Roberts from Brighton after Seagull’s boss Graham Potter admitted the player needs first-team action, according to LeedsLive.
The news outlet reports that Victor Orta tried to sign the now 19-year-old upon the Whites’ return to the Premier League in 2020, ultimately unsuccessfully as he instead spent the season with Rochdale in League One and made 25 appearances.
Now back on the south coast, he’s only made three senior appearances in the Carabao Cup under Potter, with LeedsLive relaying comments the 46-year-old told sister paper SussexLive regarding Roberts’ future.
“Like any player, there comes a point where you need to play football, and play football more regularly,” he told the outlet (16th April).
“I think he has learnt a lot and grown but to get the benefit of this period he needs to go and play football and hopefully next season that can be the plan.”
LeedsLive claims that the Whites “may still have an interest in the England youth international but would surely only want a permanent deal”.
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Bigger Issues
It’s been a difficult season for all involved at Leeds United this time around, and whilst signing exciting youngsters always provides optimism for the future this upcoming window needs more immediate action.
The Whites’ pursuit of Roberts in 2020 made sense given Brighton’s reluctance to let Ben White rejoin after his stellar loan stint, but it is now ironically the position where the squad has the most options.
Skipper Liam Cooper has just returned from a hamstring problem and seamlessly slotted straight back in, whilst Robin Koch can’t buy a game in his natural centre half position ahead of Diego Llorente or Pascal Struijk.
Add into the equation the emergence of Charlie Cresswell, who has impressed in all senior appearances thus far, and the return from injury of Leo Hjelde, and it seems silly to keep looking at a position with so much competition.
Complaints all season have been about a lack of depth, particularly in midfield, and quite frankly to avoid a similar struggle next year Leeds have too much surgery to do to the squad to start considering previous youth targets in the transfer market.
In other Leeds news, Victor Orta might have to quash rumoured interest in this star who Jesse Marsch has transformed since arriving.