Leeds pay price for two transfer mistakes over Giuseppe Bellusci

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Leeds United have released Giuseppe Bellusci and the manner of his exit was unfortunate.

Leeds United have released Giuseppe Bellusci, with the centre-back making an inevitable departure.

After clashing with fans in his latest pre-season return, it became clear the centre-back simply had to go, and if that meant releasing him, so be it.

But to get to this point, Leeds made two big mistakes – which don’t include signing him in the first place.

In early 2016 Bellusci was attracting interest from Italian sides, with Talksport reporting via SkySport Italia from Hellas Veronas.

Yet owner Massimo Cellino effectively ruled out a deal, by demanding upwards of £4 million.

Had he lowered his asking price a little, a compromise could have been struck. These linked came six days into the January transfer window – giving Leeds plenty of time to add a replacement.

Leeds’ Giuseppe Bellusci

Just months after Cellino’s demands, Bellusci’s missed overhead kick clearance against Rotherham effectively sealed his fate as a player who could just not be relied upon at Leeds. Not taking the money was a clear mistake.

Last summer was arguably an even bigger error. Instead of selling Bellusci permanently, they took a quick shortcut solution by sending him on loan, essentially deferring any bigger decisions for another year.

This was in early July and not deadline day, and Leeds should have stuck to their guns and found a permanent buyer. It was an easy way out and one which has come back to bite them.

Leeds’ Giuseppe Bellusci scores an own goal and Middlesbrough’s second

Missing out on let’s say £3 million is nothing to a Premier League side like Chelsea. To Leeds United it is a key first team player.

Even if they had made a substantial loss on Cellino’s asking price and taken £400,000 – a tenth of what he wanted – it would have been better than getting into this scenario where they release him and get nothing in return.

Current owner Andrea Radrizzani did not really have an option but to take the action he had, but if Massimo Cellino had acted more prudently, Leeds would be financially better off and been spared the recent Bellusci headache.