Leeds United have been linked with a move for the 32 year old Stoke midfield and this may prove to be the best piece of business of the summer for the Whites.
The Elland Road outfit have already built their core of their midfield around the young and innovative playmakers of Lewis Cook and Alex Mowatt, who have already showed a maturity beyond their young footballing careers with a good degree of creativity and an eye for goal. Alex Mowatt, managing to achieve double figures during the 2014-5 season. This suggests that there is certainly more to come from these two and with the emergence of another bright prospect in Kalvin Phillips, someonewho marked their home debut with a goal against Cardiff there is a lot to be optimistic about for the fans.
It could make perfect sense to bring some experience to that midfield then to take some pressure of the young midfield and with the introduction of Steve Sidwell potentially to the side. At 32, he is in the prime of his life but his experiences of playing in the premiership can only benefit the young players at the club. They would be able to learn from his experiences and gain an insight into what it takes to help the club to a higher level. There is no disputing the class of player that the club would be getting also. This a footballer who has played at Chelsea during his career and gained the opportunity to play with world class footballers such as Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard at the club.
This style and flair that Sidwell can possess in terms of passing and creativity would help create more chances in front of goal. A skill set that is very much needed if it can help supply chances to the newly recently signed Chris Wood from Leicester, who at the cost of 3 million needs to hit the front quickly and establish himself as the striker to fire the club into the top six. Not to mention, that this is someone who has experienced what it takes to win the championship, when he helped Reading win the division and gain promotion over a decade ago.
Lastly, if the club are successful in their pursuit of signing Steve Sidwell then it certainly shows that the club can always attract players from a higher level and certainly suggest that the side still have a good degree of attraction to players. Leeds are still a massively well supported club and have one of the best away followings outside the top tier of English football wherever they go. What cannot be underestimated is that a player of Steve Sidwell’s calibre can help continue to bring more fans along to the club. For the first time in a log while the club may be marching on together to better times.
