Leeds United's Rasmus Kristensen celebrates after the match
Leeds United right-back Rasmus Kristensen has a ‘fight on his hands’ to nail down a regular place in the team, according to journalist Dean Jones.
The Lowdown: Kristensen battling for playing time
The 25-year-old made the move to Elland Road from RB Salzburg last summer, seemingly coming in as an upgrade on fellow right-back Luke Ayling.
Having started the season as a regular, Kristensen has found himself in and out of the side, however, only starting 13 of the Whites’ Premier League games.
In fact, the last full 90 minutes he played came against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup last month.
The Latest: Journalist discusses ‘fight’ for place
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones admitted that Kristensen faces a battle to win his place back, following Ayling’s improved form:
“It means he’s got more of a fight on his hands than he probably first expected when he came in.
“But I’d be surprised if anyone thought that Luke Ayling was just going to happily be on his way and leave Leeds United.”
The Verdict: Good for squad depth
In many ways, it is a surprise to see Kristensen struggling for playing time, considering he came in as a younger alternative to Ayling and someone who could put him out to pasture.
The £40,000-a-week defender has increasingly struggled as the months have passed, however, and Ayling deserves credit for finding an extra gear at the same time.
This is a healthy selection headache for new manager Javi Gracia to have, though, and the fact that he has two good right-backs at his disposal can only be good for squad depth.
Kristensen, who has been hailed a ‘top-class’ by Noel Whelan, will now hope that he can impress his new manager and win back his place over time, having averaged 2.7 tackles and 2.2 clearances per game in the league this season.
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