Kemar Roofe is seemingly looking to make his return to the Leeds United squad after the international break.
When Leeds lost Kemar Roofe to injury during the previous international break, it seemed to be a huge blow for Marcelo Bielsa’s side that many may have expected to become the catalyst that prompted the Whites’ form to dramatically dip just as it did at the same time last year.
Roofe was sensational during the opening weeks of the season, scoring four times in the first six Championship games. It appeared that he had finally established himself as the talisman-like figure that Leeds fans had only really seen glimpses of since his arrival in 2016.
With Patrick Bamford already sidelined with a long-term injury, Roofe’s problem looked to be an almost devastating blow for Leeds. But perhaps not for Roofe himself.
After Tyler Roberts’ difficult start to life with Leeds, some may have predicted that the former West Brom man would come through his spell of leading the line without making too much of an impact for the Whites and Roofe’s return would prove to be a very welcome moment in Leeds’ season.
But that has largely not been the case, and Roofe is now coming back into the fold – he is expected to return after the upcoming international break – under the kind of pressure that no-one would have expected when it was announced that he would miss the Millwall game.
Not only has Roberts been fantastic during his run in the side – he has scored three goals in five league games – but Roofe is now in line to agree a new contract and become one of the highest earners in the Leeds squad, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post.
In the previous two seasons, there would have probably been sizeable sections of the Elland Road faithful who would be left perplexed if they heard that Roofe was set to be offered a deal that made him one of the best paid players at the club. Even last season when he finished as top goalscorer, plenty would have had their doubts that he deserved a significant pay rise.
This term however, the fresh terms make all the sense in the world as they reflect how Roofe has turned himself into one of the most important players in Bielsa’s ranks.
But with the potential lucrative new deal set to be put on the table and increase expectation on his shoulders, and Roberts showing that he is ready to take his place if required, Roofe is now about to return under a completely different level of pressure to what he had to contend with before he picked up his injury.
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