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£450k-rated ace facing an uncertain future at Elland Road as Leeds chiefs make key call – opinion

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Leeds United prospect Rafa Mujica is already facing an uncertain future at Elland Road less than two months after his arrival, as Whites chiefs have made the key call to green light a loan move for the youngster to join Spanish Segunda Division side Extremadura UD, according to El Periodico Extremadura.

Mujica only moved to West Yorkshire on a three-year deal in July following the expiration of his contract at FC Barcelona, whom he had represented since 2015 having joined the famed La Masia academy from boyhood side Las Palmas.

The club announced that he would be linking up with Carlos Corberan’s tremendous Professional Development League Under 23s squad as part of his Whites contract, with a view to training with the first-team, but the 20-year-old was not involved in our opening day victory over Millwall.

It now seems that his omission was linked with his potential loan move away, as the local publication to Extremadura UD understand Mujica is closing in on a temporary return to his native Spain, with only the finer details still to be agreed.

A move to the Segunda Division represents a step up in competition for Mujica, having played in Spain’s third-tier with Barcelona’s B-Team last season, for whom the £450,000-rated forward scored seven goals in 33 games for.

However, sending the 6ft prospect out on loan casts a dark cloud over his Elland Road future, as it suggests Whites chiefs are already questioning if he is an upgrade on someone like Ryan Edmondson, who shone under Corberan last season and is now firmly on the fringes of first-team action under Marcelo Bielsa.

Corberan is already testing the waters to see if Jordan Stevens is ready to lead his line as he searches for back-to-back Professional Development League North Division titles, too, while fellow summer arrival Liam McCarron will be keen to make an impression in our junior ranks after leaving boyhood side Carlisle United.

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