Loanees returning to Leeds United this summer face a fight to turn the tide in their favour and prove they have a future at Elland Road. Those who were let go last summer were deemed surplus to requirements at that stage.
Whether that was experienced players unable to make the grade or youngsters needing experience away from the glare of the Premier League, Marcelo Bielsa’s keenness for a lean squad left little room for fringe options. Ian Poveda was one such winger failing to prove he was worthy of minutes to the Argentine.
In United’s first season after promotion, Poveda failed to start a single Premier League match. The 22-year-old would make just six league appearances in the second half of 2020/21 and his absence from last summer’s pre-season programme put the writing on the wall.
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Reports out of Blackburn Rovers, where Poveda spent last term on loan, suggested the winger had done well before breaking his ankle in November. There were two fleeting appearances before the campaign ended, but the injury killed his momentum and impact at Ewood Park.
The former Manchester City’s man recovery was well-documented on his Instagram page throughout this year before an eventual return to the grass at Thorp Arch with his parent club. Jesse Marsch kept the door open to Poveda and the latter will hope it’s a sign of the chances to come this summer.
In April, Marsch said: “First of all, he looks 100 per cent so we sent him back to Blackburn as they really wanted him back for the last three matches to push to get into the play-offs and he wanted to go as well and he felt it was important for him to get some match minutes.
“He’s taking information really well, he’s trained really well. I can see that, one v one, he has some real quality and he’s shifty and hard to defend in those moments.
“I’ve just tried to continue to help him understand a little bit the game model and what the roles are for players in his position. He had a really good week-and-a-half of training so that gave us all confidence he’s ready to go back to Blackburn and do whatever he can to help them."
Poveda still has two years left to run on the contract he signed when he arrived from City in January 2020. The diminutive winger turned heads at Chelsea, Arsenal and Barcelona before turning up in Manchester.
There is no doubting Poveda’s potential given how many scouts have liked what they have seen, but as yet he has found that leap into the senior game to be beyond him. Marsch is expected to take a longer look at him this summer before deciding whether another loan is the right path for him.
The elephant in the room is Poveda’s position. It has been impossible to ignore Marsch’s penchant for narrow formations. Jack Harrison, Raphinha and Daniel James have all had to adapt. If Poveda is to cut the mustard, he too will need to prove he can be used in a narrow shape.
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