Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United Director of Football Victor Orta has shared why the Whites didn’t end up signing Lewis O’Brien this summer.
The midfielder had been strongly linked with a move to Elland Road in recent weeks, with reports even claiming that he wanted to join the Yorkshire outfit, but as we all know, a move never came to fruition, and now we know why.
Indeed, Orta has lifted the lid on why Leeds didn’t sign the midfielder described by former Huddersfield goalkeeper Matt Glennon as ‘technically outstanding’ in The Sunday Mirror (22/08 p64).
What’s been said?
Orta shared why Leeds didn’t sign O’Brien.
“It was a different valuations,” said Orta.
“I respect these kind of things, they happen in football. You have one idea, the club owning the player has another idea. If it matches, perfect, if not they have to continue and you have to continue.”
Why wasn’t there an alternative?
We can understand that Leeds didn’t want O’Brien because they didn’t agree with Huddersfield’s valuation, but if they thought they needed a midfielder, why wasn’t an alternative signed this summer?
There are plenty of players out there that Leeds could have targeted for relatively low fees, or even on loan, but here we are at the end of the window and the Whites haven’t bolstered their midfield.
As Orta said earlier in his interview with the Yorkshire Evening Post, Adam Forshaw is back, which is undoubtedly a boost, but we can’t help but feel that an extra body through the door would have been beneficial.
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