Is the writing on the wall for Leeds United left-back Tyler Denton after latest snub by Paul Heckingbottom?
Leeds United fans could be forgiven for forgetting about Tyler Denton.
The 22-year-old has failed to play a single minute of Championship football for Leeds since returning from his loan at Port Vale, and hasn’t been named in a matchday squad for over a month.
United boss Paul Heckingbottom suggested on Wednesday that left-back Laurens de Bock had a long-term injury in a development which gave rise to suggestions that Denton could be ushered back into contention.
But Heckingbottom’s decision on Friday illustrated that the Thorp Arch academy graduate is nowhere near the first team and should probably consider his future this summer.
With De Bock out, the Leeds head coach played winger Stuart Dallas in the left-back role, with youngster Tom Pearce – three years younger than Denton – on the bench.
Dallas is one of those players who would perform well anywhere, but Heckingbottom’s decision to use him at left-back instead of Denton spoke volumes and his future in West Yorkshire appears pretty bleak.
Another loan isn’t going to do much for him at this stage. At 22, if Denton was going to be a big player for Leeds then Heckingbottom simply wouldn’t be playing others out of position instead of him.
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