Phil Hay has revealed the reasoning as to why Rodrigo remained at Leeds United after a ‘very late’ loan bid arrived from Spain.
The Lowdown: Not lived up to expectations
Since signing for Leeds United last summer following their promotion to the Premier League, Rodrigo has struggled to live up to the expectations that came with his signing from Valencia.
The Spanish attacker has only scored seven times in 32 appearances so far for Marcelo Bielsa’s side, with Patrick Bamford preferred as the lone striker at Elland Road, shifting the 2020 arrival into a deeper role.
Rodrigo, 30, has endured a tough start to this season, dragged off at half-time in the 5-1 defeat to Manchester United and the 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool.
The Latest: Bielsa wanted Rodrigo
According to journalist Phil Hay, Rodrigo was subject of a ‘very late’ loan move from Spanish side Barcelona but remained at Leeds as ‘Bielsa wanted him’ to stay.
Hay has also stated that the player himself wanted to stay at the club and fight for his place, rather than go out on loan so late in the transfer window.
Rodrigo now remains at Leeds, looking to finally kickstart his career in Yorkshire after signing for £27million just over 12 months ago.
The Verdict: Time to impress
Rodrigo’s versatility to play either on the wing, down the middle or as a number ten offers Bielsa the option to select him in a number of positions and would surely be one of the main factors in deciding to keep him at the club, adding depth and versatility.
Whilst Bielsa commonly uses only one striker, namely Bamford, Rodrigo will need to impress and adapt to playing in different positions if he is to cement a place in the starting line-up on a weekly basis.
After only averaging 50 minutes per game and starting 14 of his 26 appearances last season, he will be keen to finally stamp his mark and prove that Bielsa’s fondness, as revealed by Hay, is justified.
In other news, Sky Sports pundit was surprised by the decision on red card. Find out more here.
About the Author
