James Murray

Tue 15 August 2023 21:30, UK

Brian Deane has blasted the Leeds United players that have refused to play for the club in recent weeks.

Sky Sports reported on 10 August that Italian forward Willy Gnonto asked not to be selected against Shrewsbury Town on 9 August, while Daniel Farke confirmed exit-linked Colombian winger Luis Sinisterra was “unavailable” for the game at Birmingham City on 12 August.

Deane tweeted on 15 August that refusing to play is the “lowest thing” a player can do and that it “desecrates” all the hard work that previous Whites players have put in.

“Got to say this, when I hear players refusing to play for their teams because they don’t want to spoil a move, for me it’s the lowest thing a player can do,” he said.

“It desecrates all the hard work put in by those before who had to earn the shirt and paved the way for players in now.”

Has a point

The former Leeds forward definitely has a point here as there is no excuse for a player refusing to play after signing a contract at the club.

In Gnonto’s case, the 19-year-old’s agents made a major error when they decided not to push for a release clause in his deal after former sporting director Victor Orta was handing them out to pretty much anyone that asked for it.

Sinisterra, however, does have a clause inserted in his contract and he can leave if that’s met, with Dutch news outlet 1908.nl reporting on 14 August that Feyenoord are looking to land a deal to sign the 24-year-old.

It’s a sticky situation and it’s absolutely the last place Farke would want to be in at the moment as he looks to assemble a squad capable of challenging for promotion back to the Premier League.

There isn’t much point in forcing players to remain at Elland Road that don’t want to be there, but the club need to ensure that in the cases where they do have control they receive their full valuation before allowing anyone to leave.

In other Leeds United news, the Whites should move for a PL centre-back to solve their defensive problems.