Adam Forshaw probably won't play this season or even at the beginning of the 2021/22 campaign, according to former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan.

Forshaw has suffered terrible misfortune fitness-wise, suffering a hip injury early last season and not playing a single minute since.

It means he has been missing for almost 19 months, during which time Leeds have of course secured promotion back to the Premier League.

Forshaw has been working hard on his recovery, however, and Marcelo Bielsa recently hinted that the midfielder could prove to be useful between now and the end of the season, while also heaping praise on the player for making a 'massive' effort to overcome his issues.

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Whelan provides bleak Forshaw prediction

Whelan is less optimistic about the Whites star's future, however, telling Football Insider that he has serious doubts about how much he will play moving forward:

"It’s a really strange one. Two years now...I do fear for his career after two years without football.

"There’s a big question mark on him. No one has any idea where he is. There’s been nothing coming out of the Leeds camp. They are very closed off about it.

"There is never a definitive answer about his fitness. I would be very surprised if he kicked a ball again this season or even at the beginning of next season.

"I think we’ll sign another midfielder in that area so unless he has some kind of miraculous recovery, I can’t see him getting back into the Leeds side."

Transfer Tavern take

In an ideal world, Forshaw would return the all-action player he was before, becoming a key man for Leeds and ridding himself of his injury woes.

Sadly, though, the severity of his problem and length of his absence means it is hard to see him ever being an important figure again, especially as Bielsa's men have gone up a level in the last year or so.

Forshaw's contract expires in 2022, so it may be that Leeds let him see it out before moving on.

In other news, one pundit has made a big claim about Leeds' starting lineup against Fulham - read more here.