Leeds United

Leeds United loan spotlight – a look at players away from the Whites

One of the byproducts of Leeds United trimming down their squad, at the behest of Marcelo Bielsa, to something approaching streamline is that there are many of the Whites players out on loan.

These loan deals have seen the Whites send players out and away from the club to sides both at home and on the continent. Players on the domestic scene can be found in both league, and non-league football; players on the continent appearing in league competitions in Spain, Holland, Germany and Turkey.

Here’s a look at how the players that Leeds United have out on loan went on in this weekend’s games.

Paudie O’Connor (Blackpool)

O’Connor didn’t feature in the match day squad for Blackpool today at Plymouth in a game that they won 1-0, ending the game with just nine men on the field with two red-carded in time added on.

Jay Roy Grot (VVV Venlo)

Youngster Grot played 64 minutes for Venlo today against De Graafschap before being substituted. It was a game that Venlo won 2-1 and was also Grot’s fifth Eredivisie game of the campaign.

Laurens De Bock (KV Oostende)

De Bock started well for Leeds United, but then faded away and fans began to lose that initial confidence that they had in him. Saturday’s game against Cercle Bruge was his second for Oostende, De Bock playing the full 90 as a third centre-back in a back five in what turned out to be a 1-0 loss for his side.

Tyler Denton (Peterborough)

Young left-back Denton has only made the bench twice this season for Posh. but hasn’t featured in the squad for the last six games – including Peterborough’s 2-1 loss at home against Portsmouth.

Lewie Coyle (Fleetwood Town)

Right-back Coyle, who impressed at Leeds United when making the breakthrough to the first team, played the full 90 of today’s 1-1 draw against Accrington Stanley, picking up a yellow card. This game was Coyle’s eighth for the Cod Army in his second spell on loan at the north-west club.

Vurnon Anita (Willem II)

Defensive midfielder Anita made the bench for the clash against Excelsior. His only other appearance for Willem was a 15 minute run-out off the bench in a 6-1 drubbing suffered at the hands of PSV Eindhoven. Against Excelsior on Saturday. Anita started on the bench and came on as a 67th minute substitute in a 2-2 drawn game.

Ouasim Bouy (PEC Zwolle)

The former Juventus starlet never made a dint of impact at Leeds United after he was first picked up, then loaned out to Cultural Leonesa in Spain. Now back in his native Holland, he had a 37-minute run-out against FC Groningen. Against Vitesse Arnhem he started out on the bench, remaining there as an unused substitute in a 2-0 loss.

Eunan O’Kane (Luton Town)

28-year-old Ireland international O’Kane is the most experienced of the Leeds United players out on loan at the moment. The central midfielder has made 58 appearances for the Whites, adding six assists. Since arriving at the Hatters, O’Kane has featured in League One games against Wycombe and Doncaster. However he looks set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering a horrific broken leg against Bristol Rovers, now confirmed as a fractured tibia and fibia.

Yosuke Ideguchi (Greuther Furth)

Japan starlet Ideguchi has had something of a rough ride at Leeds United. Bought for around £500,000, he saw a wasted loan at Cultural Leonesa scupper his World Cup dreams and now it appears that his time at Elland Road is marked too. He’s been shifted out to 2.Bundesliga side Greuther Furth, scoring on his debu ttoday against Holstein Kiel in a 4-1 victory.

Hadi Sacko (Las Palmas)

Sacko is an affable player, one loved by many Leeds United fans for his efforts and raw pace, which he has enough of to spare. Not really fitting in at Leeds United, he’s been out on loan at LaLiga2 side Las Palmas – Leeds’ final pre-season opponents during the summer. He featured three times for them before Sunday’s game against Extremadura. Against Extremadura Sacko didn’t make the match day squad in a game Las Palmas won 2-1.

Pawel Cibicki (Molde FK)

Cibicki was another Whites player who started well, faded a little and hasn’t really had a look-in since. Clearly not having a future at the club, he’s moved to Norwegian football with Eliteserien side Molde FK. Ahead of today’s game against Kristiansund BK, Swede Cibicki had featured in five games for Molde, scoring once and laying on two assists. Today he played almost the full game against Kristiansund BK, being substituted in the 90th minute in a game Molde won 3-2.

Caleb Ekuban (Trabonzspor)

You could almost feel Leeds United fans willing Ekuban to succeed at Elland Road, and in doing so replicate the goal-scoring form he showed for FK Partizani in Albania. Coming on against Leeds’ most despised team Galatasaray for a 4-minute cameo, the likeable Ekuban managed to get himself on the scoresheet with a well-taken goal. Against Alanyaspor, Ekuban started on the bench, coming on as an 81st minute substitute in a game that his side Trabonzsor lost 1-0.

Liam Kitchen (Harrogate Town)

Highly thought of defender Kitching has been on loan at high-flying National League side Harrogate Town this season, as well as at the end of their last campaign. Today’s game saw him make his 11th appearance of the season for the North Yorkshire side who top the table. Today’s game saw the youngster continue his run at left-back, a position he’s now made his own and from where he’s scored two and assisted once this season.

Mallik Wilks (Doncaster Rovers)

19-year-old centre-forward Wilks was seen by many to be on the verge of breaking through into first-team reckoning at Leeds United. However, he’s out on loan at League One side Doncaster Rovers this season. today he played 84 minutes against Walsall, scoring in a 4-1 victory. It was Wilks’ eighth League One game for Donny, his goal being the third he’s scored for the South Yorkshire club.

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