Leeds United announced last night (9:53pm, October 12, 2020) that Liam Cooper and Diego Llorente could be out injured for a while.
The Premier League club stated that Spain international central defender Llorente will be on the sidelines for three weeks due to a groin injury.
Cooper also has a groin injury, and the Scotland international centre-back will be available within the next two weeks and could face a fitness test ahead of the game against Wolverhampton Wanderers next Monday.
While Leeds fans will be disappointed with the injury update on the two senior centre-backs, it could open the door for Pascal Struijk.
The 21-year-old is a very talented young player who can operate as a centre-back or as a defensive midfielder.
The youngster played against Liverpool in the Whites’ first Premier League game of the season, and although Marcelo Bielsa’s side conceded as many as four goals, his performance was described as “excellent” by ex-Leeds striker Noel Whelan on BBC Radio Leeds (7:40pm, September 12, 2020), as covered by HITC Sport here.
According to WhoScored, the youngster had a pass accuracy of 88.1%, won one header, took 81 touches, and made four tackles, three interceptions and 11 clearances.
Struijk was not fazed playing against the world-class Liverpool attackers, and his maturity and calmness suggest that he is ready to step in during the time when Cooper and Llorente could be on the sidelines.
Compared to Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk on Instagram by his Leeds teammates Robbie Gotts and Clarke Oduor (he is now at Barnsley) as well as by fan account @lufcfanzone in August 2019 for his performances at the Under-23 level, as covered by HITC Sport here, the Dutchman could get the chance to make a real impression on Bielsa and the club’s supporters in the coming weeks.
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