With the football season now suspended indefinitely, it provides a good opportunity for reflection on the season so far. Here, we take a look at how Leeds United’s loaned out players have fared over the course of the 2019/20 campaign.
Leeds United have enjoyed a successful Championship season to date, sitting at the top of the Championship table after 37 games, one point clear of 2nd placed West Brom and seven points clear of 3rd placed Fulham.
While the players at Elland Road have impressed as a collective, how have the club’s loaned out players fared over the course of the 2019/20 season? Jay-Roy Grot, Laurens de Bock, Conor Shaughnessy and youngsters Rafa Mujica and Kun Temenuzhkov were all sent out on loan prior to the start of the season, here’s how they have performed so far this campaign:
Jay-Roy Grot – Vitesse Arnhem
Grot’s loan move was agreed in the early stages of the summer transfer window and since arriving at Vitesse, the forward has been a fixture in the side. Grot has made 25 appearances across all competitions, 10 of those coming as starts and 15 off the bench, netting two goals and laying on one assist in the process, struggling to hit a prolific run of goalscoring form – something he struggled with in his debut campaign at Leeds.
Prior to football’s suspension, Grot netted a stunning long-range goal in a win over FC Twente before suffering a meniscus tear, an injury which could see him out for an extended period.
Laurens De Bock – Sunderland and ADO Den Haag
Belgian left-back De Bock spent the first half of the campaign on loan in League One with Sunderland but struggled to nail down a spot in the first-team. He managed 10 appearances for the Black Cats before switching to Alan Pardew’s ADO Den Haag in January.
Since linking up with Den Haag in Holland, De Bock has featured in all eight of the club’s Eredivisie games since his arrival, of which they won one, drew three and lost four.
Conor Shaughnessy – Mansfield Town and Burton Albion
Shaughnessy started out the season with Mansfield Town before switching to Burton Albion halfway through the season. Shaughnessy impressed with the Stags, notching up 18 appearances and two assists while playing in a defensive midfield role.
Since joining Burton, Shaughnessy has played eight games for the Brewers, providing two assists. Before the suspension of football, Shaughnessy missed the last three games through a hamstring problem. Out on loan, Shaughnessy has shown his ability to play further forward in a midfield role as well as in the heart of the defence.
Rafa Mujica – Extremadura and Villareal B
After a difficult stint over the course of the first half of the season with Extremadura, Rafa Mujica has impressed with Villareal B. He linked up with the Spanish La Liga’s B team in January and enjoyed a hot start to life with Villareal.
Mujica netted an impressive four goals in his first five games for the club, helping them to three wins in the process. In total, the young Spaniard has made seven appearances for Villareal B and he will be hoping to continue his form once the season resumes
Kun Temenuhzkov – CF La Nucia
Bulgarian youngster Temenuhzkov’s involvement with La Nucia has been limited while out on loan away from Elland Road. Having featured for Leeds’ youth sides, he joined La Nucia in the summer and has gone on to make two substitute appearances in total. Temenuzhkov has earned two caps for Bulgaria’s Under-21s so far this season.
