The former Leeds United man hasn’t picked up a new club as of yet.
It’s probably fair to say that quantity over quality is a phrase that sums up Victor Orta’s first summer transfer window as Leeds United’s Director of Football.
No fewer than 21 players joined the Championship club under Orta in 2017, though many of these were originally signed as Under-23 players, the vast majority of which have since left Thorp Arch entirely.
Vurnon Anita was one of the more high-profile names to join Leeds that summer, having been a prominent squad player at Newcastle United and earned three caps for the Netherlands.
But a little over two years after joining, the 30-year-old utility player finds himself without a club.
The Whites terminated his contract in September [official site] after spending last season on loan at Willem II and, despite being fit, the former Magpie, who is training with Jong Ajax, can’t find a new team.
Speaking to Fox Sports in the Netherlands, Anita said: “I’ll let an opportunity come my way and then think what is best for me, whether it will be in the Netherlands or abroad. The most important thing is that I am completely fit and enjoying my football.”
It’s a bit of a mystery why his move to West Yorkshire completely flopped. Anita has over 100 Premier League appearances under his belt and it seemed like his experience would be very handy for Leeds.
But then-manager Thomas Christiansen didn’t appear to rate him all that highly, with the pint-sized midfielder – who can play defence – clocking 1290 minutes of Championship football during the 2017-18 campaign – or the equivalent of 14 full games in a 46-match season.
He fared a little better under Paul Heckingbottom and might have had a bigger role to play at Elland Road if Heckingbottom wasn’t fired to make way for Bielsa in the summer of 2018.
On paper, he looked a good, solid signing by Orta, but it didn’t work out at all.
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