Leeds United loaned Marcus Antonsson to Blackburn Rovers for the season – but his impact has been mixed in League One so far.
Marcus Antonsson showed what he’s all about as Blackburn Rovers secured a 1-0 win away at Scunthorpe United last month. The Swedish striker slammed home a volley at the far post to seal the three points – a goal made all the more impressive considering that was his only shot in the entire game.
It’s this kind of clinical finishing that encouraged Leeds United to pay £2 million to bring Antonsson over from Kalmar FF in the summer of 2016 (Yorkshire Evening Post).
The wily goal-getter was the top scorer in the Swedish top flight by the time he arrived at Elland Road, after all.
However, it’s fair to say Antonsson did not turn out to be the inspired, under-the-radar bargain signing that Leeds fans were hoping for. The 26-year-old started the Championship season brightly, scoring in a 2-0 win away to Sheffield Wednesday in August of last year, but quickly fell out of favour under Garry Monk.
Antonsson didn’t start a Championship game between October and May – and did not feature at all from January onwards.
Has he done enough?
A season-long loan spell at League One Blackburn, therefore, gave the 6ft striker the opportunity to prove a point to his parent club – namely that he does have the talent to succeed in English football.
A tally of three goals in nine league appearances, however, has Leeds fans no closer to finding out whether Antonsson can make the grade. A one-in-three ratio hardly sets the world alight, after all, but the player himself believes he is improving thanks to regular first-team football at Ewood Park.
“I feel that I’m on the right way and starting to feel more comfortable. I’m still not 100 per cent happy with my performance, I feel that I can be even better,” Antonsson told the Lancashire Telegraph.
“I feel that I’m improving all of the time, especially coming in to good areas in the box and I’m sure there will be more goals.”
Antonsson has featured on the left of the attack in recent weeks, versatility that could well come in handy at Leeds in the future.
While the forward feels he is taking steps in the right direction, however, Leeds will want to see that reflected with his goal output.
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