Noel Whelan has raved about Leeds United defender Pascal Struijk on BBC Radio Leeds.
The former Leeds striker, who now works as a pundit for BBC Radio Leeds, has been impressed by Struijk, and believes that the 21-year-old could be the regular partner to Diego Llorente in defence next season.
Liam Cooper and Llorente are the two main centre-backs at Leeds at the moment, although it must be acknowledged that Robin Koch has had injury problems this season.
Struijk, who can also operate as a defensive midfielder, started the season as the fourth-choice central defender, but the youngster has done well when he has been called into action, and Whelan has been impressed.
Whelan said about next season’s central defensive partnership on BBC Radio Leeds: “I think right now, Llorente’s a definite from what I’ve seen. He’s getting better and better. He looks really assured on the ball and off the ball, and very dominant. So he’s fixed there for me.
“Next to him, I’m going to go with Struijk, just from what I’ve seen. If he has longer spells of playing consistently in that team, I like his stature, I like his aggressive nature. I like the way he’s got that ball distribution as well. I think he could become a really, really strong, powerful centre-half for Leeds United.”
Pascal Struijk Stats
According to WhoScored, Struijk has made 17 starts and two substitute appearances in the Premier League for Leeds so far this season, scoring one goal in the process.
During the 2019-20 campaign, the 21-year-old made two starts and three substitute appearances in the Championship for the West Yorkshire club, according to WhoScored.
Praise for Liam Cooper
Meanwhile, Leeds head coach Bielsa has said that Liam Cooper does not lose his sharpness even he is not able to train for one or two weeks.
Bielsa made the comments about Cooper following Leeds’s 2-1 win against Sheffield United at Elland Road in the Premier League at the weekend.
The 29-year-old Scotland international defender was drafted straight into the starting lineup after recovering from injury, with Struijk dropping out.
Bielsa told Leeds Live: “Pascal played very well against Chelsea and Fulham but in the training this week I saw that Cooper was at his best.
“Cooper is the type of player who doesn’t lose his sharpness even if he isn’t able to train for one or two weeks and when we confirmed that it was still in this manner in the training sessions this week I opted for him.
“But the two games that Pascal played previously would have also made him deserving of continuing in the XI.”
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