Report: Leeds United expect one-time international to walk out of Elland Road in summer

Leeds United are preparing for fringe defender Barry Douglas to walk out of Elland Road in search of a new club this summer, according to Football Insider.

Douglas has struggled to establish himself as an integral piece of Marcelo Bielsa’s plans since arriving in a £3million deal in 2018, with the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man only starting 21 Championship fixtures last season and adding a further four from 32 games this term.

The boss listed the 30-year-old among his substitutes in Tuesday night’s draw at Brentford, though Douglas failed to enter the action for the ninth time in our last 11 league encounters.

Leeds chiefs now expect Douglas to strive for a move away from West Yorkshire at the close of the campaign and will be willing to listen to offers, should the one-time Scotland international attract any interest.

Douglas will have one year remaining on his Whites contract come the summer, and it should come as no surprise that United are willing to listen to offers for the left-back.

He has suffered with injuries throughout his time at Elland Road with a hamstring issue in October 2018 the first of what has proved many, after a strain at the start of 2019 before later sustaining Medial Collateral Ligament damage in his knee to prematurely end his maiden season in West Yorkshire.

The Glasgow-born defender recovered from the knee ligament damage to open the current season as Bielsa’s first choice option, but has only started one league game since August after developing another knee problem in October and later suffering with an injury to his side.

Selling Douglas a year before he becomes a free agent would help the club release some funds for summer signings, and add talented individuals that will either help us in the Premier League or work on promotion again as our challenge continues to falter.

In other Leeds United news, a former £4m transfer target is set to become a free agent in the summer.