, Early Leeds United team news – ‘forgotten man’ still training with first team squad

Early Leeds United team news – ‘forgotten man’ still training with first team squad

In a way, what Leeds United did to Yosuke Ideguchi was beyond the pale. A loan to Cultural Leonesa not only set him back as a footballer but likely cost him a World Cup place.

The72 first wrote about the possibility of Gamba Osaka star Ideguchi joining Leeds United back on September 10. We cited a Facebook Live chat with Leeds United Director of Football Victor Orta who mentioned at the time that the club had a big surprise for fans.

Orta’s replied to a question asked by a Leeds fan, and was more than clear in what he said with the Spaniard stating: “…perhaps he arrived Pawel Cibicki of Malmö in the Sweden league and we are near to sign a big surprise from Asia.”

That “big surprise from Asia” turned out to be Yosuke Ideguchi, one of the rising stars from the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’. With initial worries that the Blue Samurai star wouldn’t qualify for a work permit, United took the decision to send him out on a loan to Leonesa – a decision that almost all Leeds United fans will be quick to tell you backfired.

Since he has returned to Leeds United, the work permit not a hindrance, he’s not been seen as one of those favoured to play a part in Marcelo Bielsa’s first-team squad. As such, Ideguchi has been training out on the edges with a fringe players likely to get a chance at some point in the season, although that likelihood is not guaranteed.

However, as the above video shows of Leeds United preparing for Sunday’s friendly against Las Palmas, it seems that Leeds United’s ‘forgotten man’ has been remembered. Just after Conor Shaughnessy and Luke Ayling walk out of the tunnel at Elland Road, there’s the diminutive Ideguchi just behind them.

Ideguchi has featured in some of the pre-season games, featuring without standing out. He’s also not been given a squad number this season, although that can, of course, change. However, it must be encouraging for Leeds United fans to see him still being considered to have a place at the club.

It begs the question – what’s the next step for Yosuke Ideguchi, Leeds United’s 忘れた男?

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