Continuing his Leeds United story into a seventh season remains the hope for Adam Forshaw as he digs in to keep the club in the Premier League. The 31-year-old has managed to find some fitness right at the death as Sam Allardyce turns to his experienced heads in the trenches.
Forshaw was one of the few silver linings to come out of the Manchester City onslaught and it was a surprise to see him missing from Allardyce’s weekend starters against Newcastle United. Fitness, as ever, was the fly in the ointment the new head coach was trying to manage.
Forshaw came on and gave a good account of himself as Leeds fought back to level the game with the Magpies. The hope is he is now in a position to play a full part in the do-or-die clashes with West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.
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In another season which has seen injury restrict Forshaw to four starts in all competitions from an available 38 games, he needs all the minutes he can get to prove he is worth a contract extension. The club holds a one-year option on the new terms he signed in January 2022 and all Forshaw can do now is impress with the matches he has left.
“First and foremost, I just want to help the team as much as I can,” he said. “For myself and for the club, I want to remain in the Premier League.
“I would absolutely love to stay at Leeds. Of course. I love it here, my family love it here and I've got some very close friends, players and staff.”
Victor Orta was central to that decision which gave Forshaw a new deal last year, despite the midfielder starting just 17 of the club’s previous 112 games in all competitions. The Spaniard was also responsible for bringing the former Everton trainee to Elland Road from Middlesbrough eight months after he made the same switch.
Their recent football history is inextricably linked and Forshaw admits it was sad when Orta departed the club earlier this month. After overseeing the coaching and player acquisitions behind two consecutive seasons of struggle, Orta and Leeds agreed to part ways after the thrashing at Bournemouth.
“I knew Victor before from Middlesbrough,” said Forshaw. “He's done a lot for me and my career and I’ve got nothing, but thanks for him.
“He's always done everything with the best intentions. He wears his heart on his sleeve, as everyone knows, he had a massive impact here at the club, definitely.”
The final straw in Orta’s relationship with Andrea Radrizzani and the Whites is understood to have been his continued backing of Javi Gracia, whom the club wanted to sack. The Spaniards are understood to have addressed the players and staff at Thorp Arch shortly before their exits.
“It was sad,” said Forshaw. “He's been here for six years. It's a shame to see him go. That's football sometimes. He’s done some amazing things for the club and we do have to remember that.”
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