Leeds United are reportedly plotting a shock reunion with Aston Villa outcast Ross McCormack.
They say you should never go back and never has the phrase seemed so relevant. According to TEAMtalk, Leeds United are plotting a shock move for Ross McCormack, three years after he left Elland Road to join Fulham.
The report claims that Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani believes a return to the club for the former fans’ favourite will prove a popular move. But would re-signing McCormack be more of a publicity stunt than a sensible footballing decision?
The evidence of the last 12 months suggests so. After all, McCormack’s best days appear to be behind him with his £12 million move to Aston Villa last summer (BBC) resulting in just three goals in 20 appearences and a bizarre fall-out with manager Steve Bruce.
You all know the story by now but perhaps it’s worth repeating. Bruce was left furious after McCormack refused to turn up for training, the striker blaming his faulty front gates for his tardiness.
And Bruce’s explanation for McCormack’s continued absence in the early stages of the new season should set the alarm bells ringing loud and clear for Leeds.
“I’ve opened the door in pre-season for Ross but he hasn’t done enough to warrant a place in the side,” the boss told the Birmingham Mail. “There’s others above him in the side right now.”
It’s worth remembering that McCormack’s exclusion from the first-team picture comes with Villa suffering an injury crisis up top, Scott Hogan joining last season’s top scorer Jonathan Kodjia on the sidelines.
McCormack might have scored 28 league goals for Leeds as recently as 2013/14 but that form is a distant memory right now.
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