Leeds United may need centre-backs this summer, but Giuseppe Bellusci has shown once again why the Whites would be wise to avoid giving him another chance.
Leeds United’s Giuseppe Bellusci is currently on loan at Empoli
Despite Leeds going into the summer with just two natural centre-backs within their senior squad, you will probably do well to find a Whites fan who would rather see Giuseppe Bellusci given another chance than see the club go out and bring some new faces in – and perhaps seek some kind of extension for Kyle Bartley.
Bellusci’s disappointing spell at Elland Road was halted last summer when he returned to Italy to join Empoli on loan for the season, and the Serie A outfit have the opportunity to make the move permanent (via TuttoMercatoWeb).
And based on his most recent clanger, Leeds will surely be hoping that Empoli take up that option as it would have certainly evoked memories of the blunders he sometimes made in the Championship.
Away to Calgiari and 2-0 down, Bellusci left the defence exposed on the stroke of half-time as he pushed out of the back-line and flew into a completely unnecessary challenge on the halfway line a fair amount of time after the ball had been played forward.
The space Bellusci left allowed Calgiari to counter with two of the home side’s forwards – including Diego Farias – ahead of two of Empoli’s three other defenders.
And by the time Farias stroked the ball home, Bellusci – who would be booked for the incredibly rash tackle – was barely in the picture, undoubtedly evoking memories of some of the bizarre challenges that the centre-back would tend to make for Leeds.
Bellusci, while playing for Empoli
Empoli would score twice in the second-half, but could not find another to earn a share of the points, meaning that they go into the final two games of the campaign just one point clear of the relegation zone.
Though Bellusci enjoyed some positive moments in his time with Leeds, the nature and needlessness of the challenge suggests that he has not learned from the mistakes that he previously made, and thus, the Whites will surely be hoping that Empoli decide to take up the option in his deal.
And if they decide against signing him, then Leeds would surely be wise to quickly look to find another club willing to take him off their hands.
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