Leeds have been linked with striker Matej Vydra.
Leeds United received a potential boost over Derby striker Matej Vydra after he was left off the club’s pre-season trip to Tenerife.
Derby’s reasoning for his absence was that Vydra needed extra time to recover from an injury.
Rams boss Frank Lampard told Derbyshire Live: “Vydra had a small injury which has been dealt with. He hasn’t trained properly.
“It was much better for him and the medical team to get one-on-one work back at the training ground.”
The timing of the injury blow seems convenient on first look, and has been taken as a hint that Derby are preparing for life without the forward.
The Mirror report Leeds hope to tie up a deal for £11 million Vydra this week.
While Derby’s stance over Vydra could be simply games, and part of the transfer puzzle, there could be some ‘truth’ to the club’s claims of an injury.
Vydra has struggled on-off with a nagging groin injury throughout 2018, with ex-Derby boss Gary Rowett referencing it back in February [via Derby Telegraph] and referenced again in April.
It is an injury he can shake off and recover from, but with the season only a month away, Leeds could be a little concerned. Leeds face Stoke on August 5, and then Derby a week later.
Before that, Vydra would need to get up to full fitness, and get acclimatised to new boss Marcelo Bielsa’s way of working.
There are no red flags to put Leeds off a deal, but there are little warning signs that Vydra may not be ready for the start of the season, if Derby are telling the truth over his injury.
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