Sky Sports pundit Darren Bent has been left questioning the situation at Elland Road after reports emerged suggesting Leeds United could sell Barry Douglas.
It is thought that Whites chiefs have warmed to allowing the 30-year-old to leave the club in the upcoming summer transfer window, and will be happy to listen to offers should the one-time Scotland international pursue the next chapter of his career.
Douglas has failed to play a part in boss Marcelo Bielsa’s plans of late, with the Argentine only calling on the left-back to feature for 101 minutes against West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield Wednesday since the turn of the year.
Bielsa has since left Douglas out of his 18-man matchday squad four times and on the bench in our last six Championship fixtures, which have returned five wins and one draw as we moved back above the Baggies at the top of the league table.
Bent expected far more from Douglas when he moved to West Yorkshire from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £3million in 2018, and is only left with questions over why the defender has struggled to make the grade at Elland Road.
“It’s not great what’s gone on there,” Bent told Football Insider. “I fully expected him to go to Leeds and be a top, top player, but for whatever reason it’s not really happened for him.
“Why? I couldn’t tell you why but, unfortunately, these things happen.”
Should the club look to sell Douglas this summer?
Yes
No
With Douglas’ £10,000-per-week contract due to expire in the summer of 2021, it would be no surprise if the club were open to listening to offers for Douglas having seen the rate at which he has fallen out of favour this season.
Douglas was Bielsa’s first-choice left-back at the start of the league season when he opened the action in our first three fixtures, but fell to the side in week four through injury and has only managed to open one Championship game since.
If Bielsa does not favour Douglas now whilst we are fighting West Brom for the second-tier title, there is next to no chance that the Argentine will look fondly on the Scot in the Premier League next season should we secure our long-awaited top-flight return.
In other Leeds United news, a £9k-p/w man has been urged to quit the club at the end of the season.