Here are the latest Leeds United morning headlines on Thursday, 27 January 2022.
Beckford hails Rodrigo contribution
Jermain Beckford has highlighted the 'impressive' performance of Rodrigo during Leeds United's 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United.
The club-record signing made his first start in a Whites shirt since January against the Magpies following a recent spell on the sidelines with injury and despite the narrow defeat, former Leeds striker Beckford liked what he saw from the Spaniard.
"We lost the game," Beckford told the official Leeds United podcast. "We shouldn't have lost the game. Our all-round gameplay was brilliant. it was brilliant. Every player on the field did really, really well.
"I was really impressed with Rodrigo. His work rate, his work ethic, his movement, his energy, the passes that he made, the spaces he found himself in. He created so, so much.
"But I think the only part of the game that let us down was the final pass or the final shot or the final player being in the right area at the right time. That was it. And it sounds like it's a lot, but it's not. It's the final piece to the puzzle. It's one small minute detail. It hurts, but we're still in a comfortable position with strong players coming back"
Bielsa transfer decision vindicated
When a player is moved on from the Leeds squad at Marcelo Bielsa’s request, it very rarely turns out to be the wrong decision.
When Jack Clarke was sold to Tottenham in 2019, there were plenty of worries in the Whites fanbase that a really promising young player was on his way out.
Just three years later, the now-21-year-old has left Spurs in search of regular game time and has agreed a loan move to Sunderland in League One.
It follows loan moves to QPR and Stoke in the last couple of seasons where it was clear he was not of the quality to compete in the Championship despite impressing for Leeds in the same division in the couple of years prior.
He will be hoping his move to Wearside helps to kickstart his stagnating career as the Black Cats chase promotion into the second tier.
Read more here.
How you can watch Raphinha’s Brazil
Leeds’ player of the season so far will be bidding to add to his impressive Brazil tally when they face Ecuador this evening.
The five-time World Cup winners have already qualified for the marquee tournament at the end of this year but are bidding to break a South American record.
They currently have 35 points from their 13 games and need just nine more from five matches to break the record set by Argentina in the qualification campaign for the 2002 World Cup.
Incidentally, the manager of Argentina during that period was Leeds’ very own Marcelo Bielsa.
Plenty of Whites supporters will be interested in watching the match this evening and it will be available in the UK on Premier Sports 1 or through the Premier Player.
Read more here.
Transfer window state of play
The January transfer window is into its last knockings and Leeds are yet to have brought anyone into the first team with the loan departure of Cody Drameh the only notable movement so far.
When the clock strikes 11pm on Monday evening, it may signal an end to a disappointing window for the Whites but, as we already know, Bielsa doesn’t like to make signings for the sake of it.
Brenden Aaronson remains the man on everyone’s lips but a deal for the USMNT star looks increasingly unlikely with Red Bull Salzburg less than interested in selling him.
The work between now and deadline day looks set to hinge on a move for the young midfielder but there is still plenty of time for further twists and turns.
