Pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has been reacting to off-field news at Leeds United involving Marcelo Bielsa and Raphinha, as per Football Insider.
The Lowdown: Phil Hay reveals talks
Bielsa decided to bench the Brazil winger against Manchester United on Sunday afternoon. The 25-year-old came on at half-time at Elland Road to net an equaliser for the hosts, but Leeds ultimately fell to a 4-2 defeat against their fierce rivals.
Phil Hay revealed earlier in the week that the Argentine held private talks with Raphinha to explain his decision. The Brazilian returned to the starting XI in the 6-0 defeat to Liverpool last night, but prior to the match, Agbonlahor made a bold claim on the winger’s future.
The Latest: Agbonlahor reacts
Agbonlahor, who contributes as a pundit for talkSPORT, was reacting to Bielsa and Raphinha’s off-field talks in a story shared by Football Insider on Wednesday morning.
The former Aston Villa striker doesn’t think the winger will be at Elland Road next season and added that ‘Leeds fans should be very worried’ over his future, saying:
“Raphinha won’t be there at the start of next season, I will put anything on it.
“He will have been so angry to not start against Manchester United when he’s the best player in the team. He will have been fuming and onto his agent ‘Get me out of here’.
“The manager is stubborn. I don’t understand Bielsa, you’re that stubborn that you won’t even play your best player against Manchester United? Leeds fans were even baffled.
“There’s a rivalry between the teams and you leave Raphinha on the bench? Look how well he did when he came on, it just didn’t make sense.
“Leeds fans should be very worried because if I was in his position, I’d be onto my agent telling him to get me out in the summer.
“I think he would have stayed for another season if he was being treated rightly by the manager. For him, to have the audacity to not start him in the biggest game of the season, he’ll be gone in the summer.
“It doesn’t matter that he’s not been at his very best when you’re a superstar like he is in that team.
“Without him next season that team will struggle so they should be treating him like a superstar. He should be the first name on the teamsheet because he can change a game in a second.”
The Verdict: Not looking good
Leeds appear to be in freefall and now seem to be in serious danger of being relegated. They have already conceded 56 league goals this season, more than they did in all of 2020/21, and should they find themselves back in the Championship in 2022/23, it seems a certainty that Raphinha will find a new home.
Recent reports have suggested that he has a €75m (£62.4m) release clause in his Elland Road contract, but should the Whites suffer relegation, that will drop to just €25m (£20.8m).
Hopefully, Raphinha will fire the Whites to safety over the coming months, but even if he does, he still may want to move on after what he has seen from the club in 2022.
In other news: 'Exciting' Leeds attacker now set for March return after months out as reporter relays news