Leeds United should consider reuniting Paul Heckingbottom with Marc Roberts.
Leeds United are set to be in the market for a raft of new signings this summer, given that they are again poised to miss out on a place in the Championship play-offs.
Having made some questionable signings over the last year, director of football Victor Orta is under huge pressure to bring in top talent this summer, and that may result in working closely with new manager Paul Heckingbottom to bring in players he has worked with previously.
Just last week, The Sun (18/3, p60) reported that Heckingbottom wanted three players he signed for former club Barnsley in Andy Yiadom, Joe Williams and Oliver McBurnie, and he may well look to other players he worked with at Oakwell.
Finding a centre back to partner Pontus Jansson has to be a priority, and one defender who thrived under Heckingbottom at Barnsley was Marc Roberts, who was sold to Birmingham City in a big-money deal last summer.
The 27-year-old was touted for the Premier League after starring with the Tykes, but has struggled in a dire Birmingham side, with relegation to League One a very real possibility in the final weeks of the season.
Roberts hasn’t lived up to his price tag, and Birmingham may be willing to cut their losses and move him on this summer, especially if relegated – and Leeds should attempt to save him from his St. Andrews hell.
The 27-year-old played the best football of his career under Heckingbottom and could be salvaged with a reunion, whilst a return to Yorkshire – where he was born – may also be appealing and help him return to form, having enjoyed spells with Wakefield, Halifax Town and Barnsley.
It may be something of a gamble to try and resurrect Roberts after his torrid year with Birmingham, but if anybody can do it, it’s his former manager Heckingbottom, as he attempts to find a partner for Jansson.
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