By Craig Scott

26th Nov, 2021 | 12:10pm

Sampdoria won't make profit on former Leeds United ace Ronaldo Vieira

Sampdoria will not be able to see ex-Leeds United midfielder Ronaldo Vieira for a profit, according to CalcioMercato.

The Italian news outlet claims that Vieira, 23, is currently on the verge of recovering to fitness after suffering a fractured foot which has kept him sidelined since the summer.

It is understood that once January comes around, the midfielder could be loaned out in a bid to recover some of his transfer value because it’s “unthinkable” that Sampdoria will make anywhere near the £6.2million [Guardian] paid for him in 2018.

Unfortunate

Vieira’s spell at the Genoese club has been a very tough one.

The ex-Leeds academy product has played just 44 times in all competitions for Sampdoria since joining them over three years ago and injuries are a major cause of that.

He’ll enter the final year of his contract next summer so Sampdoria will be desperate to ensure that they can see him for a decent fee.

But based on Vieira’s injuries and overall form in Italy, it’s unlikely they’ll make anywhere near what they bought the midfielder bought during Marcelo Bielsa’s first summer at Leeds.

Bielsa basically had no choice but to sell Vieira in order to raise funds.

While a lot of fans were not happy to see an exciting young midfielder leave Elland Road, the fee brought in was decent and the results have spoken for themselves since.

It’s a shame to see that he’s struggled in Serie A because Vieira was always tipped to have a bright future in the game.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened but we hope that a loan spell in January will get him back on the right track as he’s only 23 and there’s a lot of time for things to go right again.

In other Leeds United news, this mainstay has dropped down Bielsa’s pecking order and been replaced by a teenager.