Sol Bamba had cut himself as a popular figure at Elland Road during his relatively short stay at Leeds United.
The now-Cardiff City defender quickly made an impact at The Whites following his loan deal from Palermo in January 2015 and was made a captain within the next few months.
His performances earned him recognition from the fans and made him a favourite around the club and turned his temporary stint into a permanent switch.
He continued to perform to a high standard for Leeds following his decision to remain in Yorkshire and was made the permanent captain by manager Uwe Rosler at the beginning of the 2015-16 Championship campaign.
However, he soon started to fall out of favour with the club’s hierarchy, as Bamba continued to publicly criticise owner Massimo Cellino on more than one occasion, believing that “the person in charge has to do better for the sake of the club and the supporters”, per The Yorkshire Evening Post.
Despite keeping his place as the captain of the side when Garry Monk took over, he shortly found himself out of the side and fell down the pecking order, which led to him having his contract being mutually terminated.
Fast forward to the present day and look at him now. Bamba has been a defensive rock for Cardiff as they look to retain their place in the Premier League under Neil Warnock.
The Ivory Coast international defender, who is valued at £900k per Transfermarkt, has been crucial for the side this season and has put in a number of stellar performances.
Admittedly, the 34-year-old’s defensive ability has improved over recent years, as he could be a liability at times for Leeds at the back.
However, some of those at Elland Road may be questioning whether they would already be playing in the Premier League if Bamba was still at the club partnering the likes of Pontus Jansson in defence.
Leeds fans – thoughts?
