Pierre-Michel Lasogga has told Hamburger Abdenblatt that his loan spell at Leeds United in 2017-18 was a “special” time but that the intensity of playing for the club has “left its mark”. The striker is now a free agent, since July 2022.
Lasogga, 31, joined Leeds on deadline day in the summer of 2017 on a season-long loan from Hamburg. He went on to score 10 goals in 33 games, laying on four assists under bosses Thomas Christiansen, and Paul Heckingbottom.
Leeds ended up in 13th place in the Championship. Another season of mid-table mediocrity and with that, came more criticism for Leeds. Lasogga was often the source of that despite his decent-enough outlay of Leeds goals.
Much was made regarding his weight, his lack of movement. Lasogga returned to Hamburg and scored 19 goals in 31, before leaving Hamburg after 138 games for the club. He moved to the Middle East for the next three years.
But in those three years, just 32 appearances for two separate clubs. Now, Lasogga has given an interview to a newspaper in Hamburg – giving his verdict on his time at Leeds. He spoke about the intensity of playing for Leeds.
“It was a very, very special time. The two relegation matches, the relegation duels. There were only ups and downs, never midfield skirmishes where you could take a breath. Always full throttle or no throttle. That leaves its mark.”
Lasogga says Leeds loan was special but intensity left its mark
A blast from the recent past. Lasogga was the image of Leeds immediately before things started to turn. A striker, on big-money, that Leeds fans put their hope in but came up short. Really, the story of Leeds until Marcelo Bielsa.
That summer, Lasogga did not join Leeds permanently and Bielsa came in. Indeed, Bielsa’s constant running would not have suited the German striker. However, it is a shame to see at 31, Lasogga has been without a club for a year.
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