Should Leeds send Grot on loan as Ekuban nears recovery?

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Jay-Roy Grot signed for Leeds this summer for a princely £1.5million from NEC Nijmegen.

It’s been a tough start to life in the Championship for Leeds teenager Jay-Roy Grot. At just 19 years of age, he is already the victim of plenty of criticism from the Elland Road faithful.

The versatile forward was signed by Thomas Christiansen this summer from Dutch Eredivisie outfit NEC Nijmegen for a reported £1.5million fee, but he has failed to hit the heights expected of him.

Fans had built their hopes up as he stepped off the substitutes’ bench to make his debut against Nottingham Forest, showing off a remarkably nimble fame despite standing at 6ft 4in while also boasting a number of clever touches during the 2-0 win.

However, ten appearances down the line and Leeds’ number 11 has failed to find the back of the net, disappointing fans during his seven other cameo appearances in the Championship.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post on Monday lunchtime, boss Christiansen declared that Italian forward and fellow summer signing Caleb Ekuban had returned to training after undergoing surgery.

Scoring in his first start, the former Chievo forward has shown a lot more in his limited game time than Grot, and it is is likely that the 23-year-old will be placed above Netherlands Under-20 international Grot upon his return.

Regular first-team football and regaining his confidence is key for youngster Grot, and the return of Ekuban should convince Christiansen that the target man would benefit from a loan spell lower down the Football League or indeed his home country.

Pierre-Michel Lasogga remains Leeds’ first-choice striker after scoring five goals in 10 league and cup outings for the Whites, while Christiansen also has former Malmo ace Pawel Cibicki in reserve if needed.

A loan move for Grot would suit all parties, as Leeds have the cover to replace him while he is gone. The striker would return a better player with more experience and confidence intact, benefiting Leeds even more so.