Phil Hay suggests doubt over long-term future of two Leeds senior players
Phil Hay has suggested there are doubts over the long-term futures of both Tyler Roberts and Adam Forshaw at Leeds United.
Roberts, 21, has started just two Premier League games this season, appearing nine times in all competitions. The Wales international hasn’t featured for the Leeds first-team since the win against Newcastle last month and has been getting more game-time for the Under-23s than Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
As for 29-year-old Forshaw, he hasn’t played since September last year due to a serious hip injury and there’s no sign of when he’ll be available to play again.
The Athletic journalist Hay isn’t sure what the future holds for both Roberts or Forshaw.
Writing on The Athletic website, he said: “In terms of Roberts, he’s made next to no impact this season. I do wonder what the future holds for him longer term (much like Forshaw, albeit with them both at different stages of their career).”
January loan for Roberts?
With Forshaw, we are going to have to wait and see what happens because as long as he’s injured, there are not going to be any suitors for him.
As for Roberts, he’s someone who we think might still have a future at Leeds even though he’s hardly playing.
It is easy to forget that the former West Brom attacker is only 21-years-old. He turns 22 later this month but this is definitely a player who hasn’t finished developing.
While we can understand that Bielsa’s squad is a small one, surely Leeds can afford to loan Roberts out in January?
He shone in the Championship so a return to the second-tier to get regular game-time and maybe get another promotion under his belt would do him wonders.
We think that he’d flourish in an attack-minded team who’s doing well in the Championship this term like Reading or Blackburn. He’ll probably get consistent appearances for teams of that ilk.
Leeds should avoid relegation this season and they probably won’t be close to qualifying for Europe so we don’t see why sending Roberts out on loan would be a risk.
In other Leeds United news, a lucrative new contract is on the cards for this Elland Road ace.