Leeds United midfielder Mateusz Klich has revealed that he could have joined Middlesbrough in the past but admitted he is glad he ended up at a ‘bigger club’.
The Polish international endured a tough start at Elland Road after signing from FC Twente in the summer of 2017. He managed just five Championship fixtures before he was loaned back to Holland to join FC Utrecht for the remainder of the season. However, the appointment of Marcelo Bielsa would transform Klich’s career in England, as he has incredibly played every single league game since the Argentinian arrived.
Yet, it could have been very different, with Klich explaining to the club’s social media that Whites director of football Victor Orta had tried to bring him to Teesside when he worked at Boro, before the Spaniard’s switch to Elland Road meant Klich came on Leeds radar. And, it’s fair to say he is pleased that he ended up in Yorkshire rather than the north-east.
“My manager called me and told me I had got an offer from Middlesbrough. Victor was at Middlesbrough. I was at Twente at that time and I said ‘yeah, if I can go to England we can consider it’.
“He called me and said the plan had changed and I had got the offer from Leeds United. I was a bit more happy because, obviously, Middlesbrough was Premier League at that time but you knew they were going to go down. Leeds, I don’t want to be disrespectful to Middlesbrough, but Leeds is a bigger club. So I was happy to join Leeds.”
What league will Leeds United be playing in next season?
Premier League
Championship
The challenge for Klich is to continue his own good form when the season does resume as he looks to play his part in helping Leeds back to the Premier League for the first time since 2004. Bielsa’s men currently hold a seven-point lead over third-placed Fulham in the race for automatic promotion, with just nine games left to play.
It’s unclear exactly when the campaign will resume but the EFL reiterated over the weekend that they are committed to playing the remaining fixtures.