De Bock has left Elland Road on loan to join Belgian side KV Oostende.
Laurens De Bock has told Belgian newspaper HLN that Paul Heckingbottom wanted the left-back to leave Leeds United, but claimed Marcelo Bielsa wanted to keep him at Elland Road.
The 25-year-old defender has left Leeds to join Belgian outlet KV Oostende on a season-long loan, becoming the 15th player to leave the Whites this summer with any previous first-team experience in Yorkshire.
He joined Leeds for £1.5million in January from Club Brugge, with many fans hopeful that he would solve the club’s left-back woes after starring in the Champions League for the Belgian side. Just seven appearances later, he was ostracised.
Now, De Bock will be hoping to show Leeds what they are missing in the red and yellow of Oostende. He claimed that Heckingbottom saw no future for him at Elland Road, while Bielsa was keen to see him remain as Barry Douglas’ cover.
“The coach [Heckingbottom] wanted me to leave, but was fired in June,” De Bock said. “Under Bielsa I did not have to leave this month, but after the arrival of a new left back I thought it better to be loaned.
“Bielsa has a lot of appeal, it is as if he invented football. I learned a lot from his vision and philosophy. Leeds was an adventure in itself and I feel like I’m coming back a bit more mature.”
The signing of Douglas from newly-promoted Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers is one that surprised many, with the set-piece specialist expected to be a big part of Wolves’ Premier League campaign.
However, his arrival at Elland Road has certainly put an end to Leeds’ need of a new left-sided defender, leaving De Bock with little chance of getting first-team football.
It has also seen Tyler Denton leave the club on loan, joining League One Peterborough, while Tom Pearce remains on the books at Elland Road as Douglas’ back-up.
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