Leeds United made a bid to sign Joe Bryan from Championship rivals Bristol City in the summer – but got Belgian Laurens de Bock instead.
Leeds United manager Paul Heckingbottom has a rather unwanted selection headache ahead of Saturday’s Championship clash with Bristol City.
Gaetano Berardi remains on the sidelines after picking up a two-game man for the most needless of sending offs against Cardiff City and will therefore be absent as Lee Johnson’s Robins fly up to Elland Road.
Vurnon Anita, Stuart Dallas, Ezgjan Alioski and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson have all filled in at left-back this season for Leeds but none of the above have managed to nail down a place in the starting XI. The departure of Charlie Taylor, the homegrown talent who left for Burnley when his contract expired, has been felt more keenly than even the most pessimistic fan might have imagined.
So all eyes should be firmly fixed on Laurens de Bock as Leeds welcome Bristol City to Elland Road on Saturday.
The Whites are hopeful that De Bock, a £1.5 million January signing from Club Brugge, is supposed to be the answer to Leeds’ left-back woes. The 25-year-old hasn’t endured the best start to life in England, however, losing three of his four games and conceding four goals against Millwall and Cardiff City.
So Leeds fans will be hoping he finally proves his worth up against arguably the Championship’s best left-back – and a player the West Yorkshire giants were keen to sign in the summer.
Bristol-born flyer Joe Bryan has taken his game to a new level this season and has three goals and two assists in the Championship while his long-range rocket in the famous EFL Cup win against Manchester United will live long in the memory.
In fact, Bryan has been so impressive that The Mirror linked him with a £7 million move to Premier League giants Everton and Newcastle United last month.
To make matters worse for Leeds, The Mirror stated that they too were keen on the jet-heeled number three in the summer – but were only willing to pay £2 million. So with Bryan heading to Elland Road on Saturday, this is perhaps the biggest test De Bock has endured so far.
If he struggles again while Bryan continues his superb form, Leeds fans will once again have questions for director of football Victor Orta.
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