Jesse Marsch is now approaching two months as Leeds United manager and will be looking to the summer transfer window, so who of the Whites’ stars out on loan should he recall?
Marcelo Bielsa had let six members of his first-team leave Elland Road in temporary deals during the 2021/22 season. Some like Helder Costa and Kiko Casilla needed loan moves to prove they have futures with Leeds, while others needed to show they are ready for more.
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Not all of those who departed West Yorkshire last summer or in the January window have enjoyed successful spells away. Ian Poveda, for example, has not featured since November after the 22-year-old suffered an ankle injury that required surgery and he is yet to return.
Blackburn Rovers have remained in communication with Leeds over Poveda’s situation as the forward returned to Elland Road for treatment. He could yet still have a role to play in their bid for promotion from the Championship, having returned to training late in March.
Poveda showed flashes of his potential at Ewood Park before his injury blow with one goal and two assists. His efforts included netting and creating to help beat Sheffield United 3-1. But the winger only started four of eight second-tier appearances for a total 332 minutes.
So, Marsch will likely look to send Poveda back out on loan next season than welcome him back to Leeds. But one loanee who may have an Elland Road role waiting is Cody Drameh.
Cody Drameh could earn Leeds shot after Cardiff loan
Bielsa wanted Drameh to remain at Leeds in January, but the full-back pushed to leave on loan before joining Cardiff. The move has proven ideal for his development, with the 20-year-old starting all 18 games and playing all but 12 of the 1,620 minutes available so far.
He has also offered three assists to help toward wins against Peterborough and Stoke City, while drawing with Blackpool. Bluebirds manager Steve Morison has told Wales Online he would love to now keep Drameh next term, but has also received calls from rival coaches.
Additionally, Wales Online note Bournemouth are among the clubs monitoring his form in view of a summer swoop. But Drameh has told Cardiff he would like to return on loan next season if Marsch does not offer assurances that he will have regular game time with Leeds.
Leif Davis to gain Leeds squad role after Bournemouth spell
Bournemouth remain a frontrunner to follow Fulham in securing promotion to the Premier League this season. They sit second in the table, partly thanks to Leif Davis’ efforts on loan from Leeds – despite the 22-year-old struggling to gain a key role under boss Scott Parker.
Davis has only played in 12 Championship games all term after moving to the south coast last summer. He has also only offered one assist back in November to help beat Swansea. But his form in January saw Cherries fans vote the left-back as their Player of the Month.
Parker also hailed the defender after beating Swansea, noting via the Daily Mail: “He was an animal.” Marsch may now look fondly on Davis’ potential to hold a squad role at Leeds next season, with the American reportedly looking into strengthening his left-back options.
Valencia to boot Helder Costa back to Leeds
Costa left Leeds to join Valencia on loan last summer likely expecting he would not return to West Yorkshire again. Yet the La Liga outfit will likely boot him back to Elland Road at the end of the season, forcing Marsch to consider offering the Portuguese a fresh start.
That’s because Marca report that while Costa performed at a good level after winning boss Jose Bordalas’ trust, Bryan Gil joining on loan from Tottenham in January saw Leeds’ £16m winger instantly fall out of favour. Now, Valencia will not use their €10m (£8.5) buy clause.
Costa is yet to score for Valencia across all competitions and only has two assists after 26 appearances. But with two years left on his United contract, Marsch may feel he can get the 28-year-old’s career back on track – especially if Leeds cannot find another buyer.
Casilla and Kiko Mateusz Bogusz entering last chance saloon
Casilla and Mateusz Bogusz will enter the last chance saloon for their careers at Leeds as they enter the last month of the 2021/22 season. Both players will only have a year left on their contracts at Elland Road on returning to West Yorkshire, and still have a lot to show.
Bogusz has not hit great heights in Spain’s second-tier with UD Ibiza, after needing surgery in January after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The Poland U21 ace is yet to return, while the blow came just as he had started to find his feet in La Liga 2.
The midfielder offered four assists and a goal in his final three appearances to start 2022 strongly. He had not scored since September or assisted since November before the turn of the year, as Bogusz reached four goals and seven assists over 20 appearances this term.
Marsch is unlikely to feel confident in Bogusz now offering a threat in the Leeds first-team next season. So, he will likely look to send the 20-year-old back out on loan. But given his contract expires in 2023, the Elland Road outfit must decide if he has a longer-term future.
Leeds will likely look to sell Casilla if the goalkeeper returns from his loan spell at Elche, on the other hand. The Spaniard is also out of contract in 2023 and has only made 12 La Liga appearances for three clean sheets this season. He has not played since October, either.
Additionally, the former Real Madrid man admitted in October that he cannot see a future back at Elland Road. He told Mundo Deportivo: “It will be difficult for me to complete the year I have left. When I left there it was for that reason, because my time there is over.”
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