Phil Hay, a Leeds United player who has logged 128 league minutes this year, could leave in January.
Charlie Cresswell, a centre back for Leeds United, was left out of the team for yesterday night’s away game against Hull City and may be considering leaving the team if his lack of playing time continues.
Since being demoted, Leeds’ squad depth has actually increased dramatically, and this year they have many more alternatives to add genuine game-changers to the bench than in past years.
Daniel Farke will have to make some difficult selections when it comes to leaving people out of the matchday group due to the squad’s size.
Charlie Cresswell is missing.
Liam Cooper returned to the team for the trip to Hull City on Wednesday, although he also took Charlie Cresswell’s spot on the bench.
Cooper may not have anticipated playing in the game, but Daniel Farke quickly called in Cooper when Joe Rodon was dismissed after 60 minutes, forcing a lineup change.
With only one league start to his name this season—a road game against Birmingham—and two appearances off the bench against Cardiff City and Ipswich Town—a combined total of 128 minutes played this season—Cresswell will have been disappointed to be left out of the team.
Could he go now?
According to Phil Hay of The Athletic, if the center-back’s circumstances don’t change, Leeds may lose him in January.
On the Square Ball podcast, Hay provided the following perspective on the 21-year-old:
Cresswell’s absence from the team caught my attention. He has attracted a lot of attention. You can’t help but think that he will start looking elsewhere if he isn’t at the door or in the squad.
Although he is an England U21, he just seems to be lower on the priority list, which is not ideal for him. I’m not sure how many games you envision him playing, but with Rodon, Struijk, and Cooper.
The previous year, while on loan at Millwall, Cresswell
was the subject of interest from Middlesbrough and Sunderland.
Predictions for Leeds vs. Watford?
If we continue to ignore Cresswell in January, which you could assume is entirely inevitable given our squad depth, you couldn’t really blame him for leaving.
We won’t really see Junior Firpo at all because he will be replaced by another defender in the squad when he comes back.
He will start tomorrow’s game on the bench while Rodon is suspended, but after that, he will only be the fourth option, which will undoubtedly upset him.
But if we do sell him, we’ll be forced to pay a significant amount after he agrees to a new contract.
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