Forget Forshaw: Marsch may ruthlessly bin 21 y/o Leeds ace after McKennie signing – opinion
Deadline day was a comparatively quiet one by Leeds United‘s requirements, with the addition of Weston McKennie on January thirtieth the newest deal that Jesse Marsch’s facet accomplished in January.
The USA worldwide joins on a mortgage deal from Juventus which incorporates an obligation to purchase in the summertime, changing into the membership’s third signing in January after Maximilian Wober and Georginio Rutter.
One other physique in midfield will permit Marsch to alter issues up at Elland Street, with the previous Salzburg boss now having the choice of an all-American midfield, with Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson.
The arrival of the 24-year-old Schalke man may see Adam Forshaw’s spell within the first crew lastly come to an finish however Marsch would possibly think about dropping one other midfielder in Sam Greenwood.
Whereas he’s nonetheless solely 21, the previous Arsenal man has struggled on his uncommon appearances within the first crew this season, notching only one objective and two assists in ten appearances, averaging a disappointing 6.40 ranking from WhoScored for his performances.
This ranks him because the Nineteenth-best performer at Elland Street to this point this season, so he’s undoubtedly a candidate to lose his place within the squad following the enterprise accomplished in January.
Since signing from Arsenal’s academy, Greenwood has actually accomplished the enterprise with Leeds’ youth sides, hitting 21 objectives and 6 assists in 40 appearances for the U21s however he’s but to indicate that form of kind with the senior facet.
In 25 first-team appearances, the 21-year-old has simply one objective and 5 assists, with Marsch opting to play him in a deeper position, which is but to essentially repay.
Though he seems to nonetheless have loads of potential, you solely must look in direction of the influence of 19-year-old Wilfried Gnonto to grasp that Greenwood won’t have what it takes to be a daily on this Leeds facet sooner or later.
McKennie ought to supply much more from a defensive perspective and has an important deal extra senior expertise than Greenwood, which might be very important within the second half of the season as Leeds look to retain their Premier League standing.
Subsequently, whereas Forshaw is seen because the one who will lose his place, it’s arguably Greenwood who seems set to lose out probably the most from the signing of McKennie in January.