Leeds United defender Pascal Struijk is expected to leave the club this summer despite a desperate drop off in form during the second half of the season.
That is according to the Athletic, who report Leeds are expecting to receive offers for Struijk once the transfer window opens.
Leeds are set for a mass exodus of players following their relegation from the Premier League and it may be a surprise to hear Struijk is likely to be one of them.
The 23-year-old put pen-to-paper on a new long-term deal at Elland Road in December and has endured a pretty torrid individual campaign.
Given Leeds’ shortage in that area, Struijk spent much of the campaign playing at left back but struggled to cope with the demands of that position as the season progressed.
That said, he hardly pulled up any trees in his natural position at centre back, though, and was particularly poor in Leeds’ damaging 5-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace.
Struijk expected to leave Leeds
Leeds are currently littered with left footed centre backs and so it is important at least one departs in order to balance the squad, with Struijk the most likely to pull in a decent fee.
The Whites are keen to keep January signing Max Wober, while it is hard to see club captain Liam Cooper going anywhere.
Teenager Leo Hjelde is also a top talent and impressed on loan at Rotherham United during the second half of the season, and given his high capability of playing both centre and left back, he is well worth keeping.
Struijk had looked as though he would grow into a top young central defender upon his breakthrough into the first team during Leeds’ first season in the Premier League.
He just hasn’t developed as Leeds would’ve liked, though, and a fresh start for him could be what he needs to really progress in his career.
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