Leeds United took the opportunity to send 10 players out on loan during the summer transfer window. Many of those were youngsters, leaving Elland Road to pick up experience and minutes in first-team football.
Others were senior pros who found themselves down Jesse Marsch’s pecking order and needing to leave to prevent their careers from stalling and perhaps prove a point. With the World Cup break upon us, Leeds Live takes a look at how the Whites’ loanees have fared so far this season.
Charlie Cresswell - Millwall
Cresswell was the first to be loaned out over the summer and he is making the most of his spell in south London. The defender has been in and out of the Lions fold under Gary Rowett, but he has made 14 Championship appearances so far, with 12 of those being starts.
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He’s managed to bag himself four goals, as well, with his latest coming during Saturday’s 4-2 win over Preston North End at Deepdale. The centre-back certainly seems to be enjoying himself with Millwall and despite losing his place in the side for a few weeks last month, it’s hard to say Cresswell’s loan has been anything other than a resounding success, so far.
Tyler Roberts - QPR
Roberts was always going to struggle for game time this season under Marsch and he joined QPR in the hope of gaining some traction and making sure of his spot in Wales’ World Cup squad. He has made 12 league appearances under Mick Beale, but so far he hasn’t been able to show his best on a consistent basis, bagging just one goal.
He’s struggled with injuries, too, and he took to social media last week to reveal his heartbreak at being ruled out of this month’s tournament in Qatar. He’ll be keen to hit the ground running when the action returns, though, and help to push the west London outfit towards the Premier League.
Jamie Shackleton – Millwall
Shackleton was another who would probably have struggled for minutes had he stayed with Leeds for the 2022-23 campaign. He made the move to Millwall to continue his development and, at the age of 23, he’ll be keen to prove a point to one or two people by establishing himself as a top performer in the second tier.
So far, the Yorkshireman has been a regular for the Lions, making 17 appearances, including 12 starts, with outings coming in both the middle and on the right. He has lost his place in the starting XI over the last few weeks, but he has been used off the bench to help Millwall force their way into the Championship play-off spots.
Lewis Bate – Oxford United
Bate was a key man for United’s U23s last season, but at 20 years of age, he needed senior minutes to continue his development and that has come with League One club Oxford United. The midfielder has made 14 appearances in all competitions under Karl Robinson, with 10 of those coming in the league.
He’s recorded three assists, too, including a pair in the 3-1 win at Bolton Wanderers. This season will already have been a steep learning curve for the former Chelsea man but he’ll be keen to continue his development and showcase his potential at the Kassam Stadium before returning to Leeds in the summer.
Helder Costa – Al-Ittihad
Costa has played his last game for Leeds with his loan to the Saudi Arabian club becoming permanent at the end of the campaign. The winger failed to convince Jesse Marsch of his worth over pre-season following last season’s loan with Valencia and at the start of August he sealed his move to the Middle East.
So far, he has played five games for the Jeddah-based club, who are managed by former Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo, helping them up to third in the league.
Stuart McKinstry - Motherwell
McKinstry’s performances with Motherwell have not gone unnoticed, it seems. After playing a bit-part role for the Scottish outfit over the first two months of the campaign, McKinstry broke into the starting XI in October and managed to bag goals against both Rangers and Aberdeen.
He has been called up for Scotland Under-21s as a result of his performances, while the likes of Burnley, Sheffield United and Stoke City have also been linked with his signature. McKinstry’s contract at Elland Road expires at the end of the season and his future at the club remains unclear.
Jack Jenkins – Salford City
Jenkins started the season with Michael Skubala’s U21s before the opportunity to play first-team football in League Two arose. The 20-year-old has had to be patient at Salford, but it seems he has finally broken into the club’s starting XI, getting the nod to appear in the club’s last three games in all competitions, including an FA Cup first round draw with League One Peterborough.
Before that clash, he had been an unused substitute for the previous 11 league fixtures.
Ian Poveda - Blackpool
Poveda was another who was always going to struggle for game time at Elland Road and therefore the loan move to Blackpool made perfect sense for the 22-year-old as he looks to find traction in his career. The winger gained plenty of plaudits after impressing on his first start for the Tangerines in September, but his game time has been anything but consistent since.
The former England U20 international has made just eight outings for Blackpool, appearing for a combined total of 16 minutes during the club’s last 10 league fixtures. He’ll be desperate to prove his worth and fight his way back into the reckoning when the action restarts.
Mateusz Bogusz - Ibiza
After seeing his loan with Ibiza cut short through injury last time around, Bogusz returned to the Spanish island in August, penning another loan deal with the club. The Polish midfielder missed the four games that followed his arrival as he worked his way back up to full fitness, but he has edged his way into the side since then.
Bogusz has made seven league appearances in the Spanish second tier and he’ll be keen to find form sooner rather than later to help the club out of the relegation zone.
Dan James – Fulham
Eyebrows were raised when James joined Premier League rivals Fulham on deadline day, having made four appearances for the Whites in August. After struggling to find consistency in a Leeds shirt, he was deemed to be expendable as the Whites pushed for new signings and a loan move to west London was signed off.
Since then James has made eight Premier League outings under Marco Silva and he managed to bag his first goal for the club last Sunday against his former side Manchester United. He’ll be keen to build on that effort after Christmas and prove a point with the Cottagers.
James will also be hoping to play a key role for Wales in the World Cup.
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