Junior Firpo arrived at Leeds United with so much promise last summer. The left-back was one of just two major signings at Elland Road and as he made the switch from Barcelona it was certainly a deal that made sense for the Whites as they looked to replace Ezgjan Alioski with a quality addition.
Firpo had attracted interest from Italian giants AC Milan and Celta Vigo, but Leeds managed to lure him to Yorkshire with a healthy dose of Victor Orta determination and the promise of a starting spot. Unfortunately, though, his first season in white didn’t exactly go to plan as he struggled to settle on the pitch and failed to find consistency and form.
Of course, two or three injuries throughout the course of the season hardly helped the 25-year-old find traction in the side. Neither did the predicament Leeds were in as they found results and Premier League points hard to come by.
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That’s not to say there weren’t bright moments, either, with relatively strong performances last month against Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion immediately springing to mind. But, as he left Thorp Arch for the summer in May, he will have been aware that he failed to live up to expectations during his first season in England.
It means he is one of several players, alongside the likes of Rodrigo Moreno and Dan James, who will be under pressure to step up under Jesse Marsch next season, make an impact on the field and win over those fans who at times could be heard criticising his performances last time around. Questions have been asked about whether Leeds will make a move for another left-back and with Stuart Dallas set to sit out a huge chunk of the year, they do appear to be short of options.
Leif Davis and Liam McCarron are the only other recognised left-backs at the club and for some fans that lack of established depth is a concern. As such, with the benefit of a full Premier League season under his belt, Firpo will be challenged to make that role his own in his second year, in what is arguably his biggest campaign yet as a player.
Struggle to convince this time, though, and the club would have little choice but to consider their options in the transfer market. That’s a move that would undoubtedly leave the former Spain under-21 international with an uncertain future at Elland Road.
The left-back’s Leeds career is very much in his own hands, but his second season with Leeds must be described as a pivotal one.. Should he find his feet he could go on to play a key role under Marsch but a failure to perform would leave him in a battle to avoid being left behind.
