Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson has predicted a Leeds United senior player to exit the club this month.
Jesse Marsch has just bolstered his squad with the addition of Maximilian Wober from RB Salzburg and the American has already set his sights on a left-back in the form of Milos Kerkez, according to Talk Sport.
Despite being a centre-back primarily, Wober has been deployed on the left this season and so may be utilised by Marsch in the same role.
The two new additions may lead to the departure of Junior Firpo, who is set to fall in the pecking order at Elland Road. The Spaniard signed for the Whites in 2021 but has failed to make a statement or settle in the first-team set-up in England.
Firpo also regularly struggles with injury concerns and maintaining fitness and at 26 years old, Marsch could turn to younger alternatives.
Firpo’s exit on the cards?
Speaking to MOT Leeds News, former England goalkeeper Robinson addressed the situation, saying: “Firpo doesn’t look like he’ll be a squad player. I think if the opportunity to move him along comes, he’ll go. The manager’s got to be given time.
“If he’s the man and he’s the one that they want, as with other clubs, you can see the greatest gift you can give a manager is time. You’ve got to allow him to build a squad and build his team to do what he wants them to do. If Junior Firpo isn’t a part of that, and he’s seemingly not, then that’s part of football that happens and he’ll move on.
“Players have been victims of that before so he’s not the first and he won’t be the last. I don’t think his performances have warranted an opportunity to play in the team. He’s been too inconsistent defensively and he’s not strong enough offensively.
“It’s a case of Leeds cutting their losses and if he moves on in January and get a move, that’s for the best.”