One year on: Leeds ace Pontus Jansson’s top club links look world away

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One year ago today, Leeds United defender Pontus Jansson was a target for some of the Premier League’s best sides.

It was exactly one year ago today that Swedish outlet Expressen reported that Leeds defender Pontus Jansson was being chased by some of the top sides in the Premier League, with Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool all eyeing a move for the centre-back.

Jansson was still technically still on loan with the Whites at that point, but a deal had been made that meant that the move would become permanent for £3.5 million in the summer – fee reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post. Nevertheless, it appeared that Leeds may have to worry about whether Jansson could be heading for the exit immediately after putting pen to paper on a permanent deal.

And worry would be the right word. The Sweden international was an incredible stalwart of the team during his first year with Leeds, forming a brilliant partnership with Kyle Bartley that so nearly helped the club secure a spot in the play-off places in the Championship. In fact, the only criticism that could have really been made about Jansson during his year on loan was that he sometimes struggled to keep his emotions in check as he collected 15 yellow cards throughout the campaign.

Fast forward one year however, and Jansson’s form will hardly be leaving Leeds feeling particularly worried about the prospect of some of the Premier League heavyweights coming in.

Bartley’s departure appears to have had a major impact on the defender. He has simply not been able to replicate the form he showed last year, with the Whites conceding goals at an alarming rate.

Jansson is certainly not the only player to have been disappointing this season by any means. But his form last year suggested that he was always going to be one of the men that could drag the team out of a rut – and that has simply not happened.

And while Teamtalk have recently linked West Ham and Southampton with a move for Jansson this summer, it seems that many Leeds fans would be delighted if a club offered the £12 million that the Whites reportedly now want. One year ago, losing Jansson for £12 million would not have been deemed a good piece of business from the Championship side.

It is almost alarming to think that three of the Premier League’s best teams were reportedly tracking Jansson just 12 months ago. But, while it helps outline how drastic his dip in form has been, it should also give Leeds fans hope that if the defender can get back to his best for next season, the Whites have a huge asset in their squad who could play a crucial role in getting the club back into the promotion picture.