Leo Hjelde still training at Thorp Arch as Leeds United exit to Serie A downplayed
Leo Hjelde’s Leeds exit to Salernitana is not as advanced as is being portrayed elsewhere as the player is still training at Thorp Arch according to LUFCFANZONE.
Writing on their personal Twitter account (16 August), the account which is known to have links to the club reports that the young left-back was present at training today and has been all week also.
Reports in Italy suggested the player was on the verge of a move to Salernitana, but it seems any deal is yet to be given the green light by the Whites.
“Leo Hjelde, who has been strongly linked with a move to Italian side Salernitana, has also been training the whole of this week including today,” they wrote.
“Suggests that a move to Serie A isn’t as close as the Italian media are reporting.”
Phew
Hjelde hasn’t exactly shone as a starter in two of the three games we’ve played this season, but we need players to stay at the club so that we actually have a squad to compete with.
Right now Sam Byram has switched to left-back to compete with him, with Junior Firp not in the plans of Daniel Farke at Elland Road and Cody Drameh competing with Luke Ayling at right-back.
There are already several positions that we need to strengthen before the window closes in two weeks, and we don’t need to add to those needs.
Keeping the defence together must be a priority for Farke at this point as we build a base for a promotion charge, and while Hjelde is seemingly second-choice right now we don’t know when we’ll need him.
He’ll only improve with more game time too, so selling him always seemed like an odd decision. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be happening anyway.
In other Leeds news, Gnonto and Sinisterra decisions made as 3 start for first time in predicted XI v West Brom.