Midfielder Mateusz Klich has revealed that he was “very close” to leaving Leeds United early in his time at the club.
Klich joined Leeds from Dutch outfit FC Twente in the summer of 2017, but after struggling to immediately force his way into the White’s side, he returned to Holland on loan with Utrecht the following January.
But with Marcelo Bielsa arriving at Leeds in the summer of 2018, as Klich’s loan from Utrecht was expiring, things have completely transformed for the Pole, who has started in every league game Leeds have played over the past two seasons, emerging as a key player in their push for promotion to the Premier League in the process.
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It seems however, as though things could have worked out very differently for Klich at Leeds, as reflecting on his time at the club ahead of their huge clash with Barnsley on Thursday, the 30-year-old told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “I’m very happy, very proud because behind the scenes there is a lot of hard work, dedication. I didn’t give up on Leeds and Leeds didn’t give up on me.
“I was very close to leaving the club and I might finish in the Premier League with two full seasons of the Championship playing every game.”
Given the way things started out for Klich at Leeds, you could have understood it had he taken the option of a route out of club when it was offered to him.
However, you have to admire Klich, and the club – not least Bielsa giving him his chance – for sticking by each other when it may have been easier to oversee a parting of the ways following that slow start to Klich’s time at the club.
Indeed, given the way things have played out over the past two seasons, it is hard to imagine there is any associated with Leeds who is disappointed by the fact that Klich chose to stay at Elland Road when he had the chance to walk away.