Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa has revealed that Crysencio Summerville wanted to leave the club in the January transfer window amid reported interested from Hamburg.
The 20-year-old was linked with a move away from the Whites in the winter market and 2. Bundesliga side Hamburg supposedly wanted to take him on loan for the remainder of the season.
Die Rothosen, who are one of the most successful German sides, currently sit fourth in the second tier and are bidding for a return to the top-flight for the first time since 2019.
Rangers were also keen in the Dutch winger, while a number of Championship clubs expressed an interest in Summerville, but Leeds chose to keep him.
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Summerville wanted more consistent first-team football and Bielsa admitted that he wouldn't have had a problem with him if he had departed the club.
He said in his pre-Aston Villa press conference: "He spoke with me and he told me that he wanted to leave. I told him there wasn't any problem with him leaving.
"Any player who tells me they want to leave, I would answer 'no problem'.
"Simply not wanting to be here is sufficient. That's a sporting position. But the club has a different outlook because the player has a contract and there are obligations. I don't have the power to decide those things.
"When a player signs a contract he says he wants to belong. It's legitimate that he doesn't want to belong anymore. But I have a limit in the power of my decisions.
"All the players, if they want to leave I won't stand in their way. But I only have part of the decision."
He added: "All this being made public is not good for anyone - not for me, not for Summerville, not for Leeds. This happens at every club constantly. As it's made public, I have the responsibility to tell the truth."
After joining the Whites from Feyernood in 2020, Summerville had to wait over a year to make his first-team debut when he came on against Newcastle United in September.
Bielsa's side have struggled with injuries for most of the season and he has subsequently had to call upon a number of Under 23s, including Summerville, who has appeared on the bench on multiple occasions.
He has gone on to make five top-flight appearances for the Whites, but still wanted a move away in search of regular minutes.
Summerville will be looking to break into the Leeds side between now and the season but faces a tough battle on the right-wing with Raphinha, who has scored eight goals and grabbed two assist this term.
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