Pontus Jansson addresses £14.8m Leeds exit talk as he lifts lid on Bielsa

Pontus Jansson TEAMtalk

Pontus Jansson insists he remains committed to trying to help Leeds win promotion to the Premier League after reacting to claims he could be set to leave in a £14.8m switch.

The towering Swedish defender – one of United’s most sellable assets – has been linked with a switch to Premier League in the wake of the club’s failure to secure promotion this season. The likes of Wolves, Newcastle and Southampton have all been mentioned as possible suitors, while Benfica were also set to trigger the reported £14.8m exit fee which exists in his Leeds deal.

However, the player maintains – just like manager Marcelo Bielsa, who has also agreed to stay at Elland Road – he remains committed to seeing the job through at Elland Road.

Speaking to Swedish source Aftonbladet, Jansson said: “I’ve always said that my dream is to play in the Premier League, and that I want to do it with Leeds.

“It’s up to Leeds if they want to negotiate. Until then I’m 110% Leeds and will be until the day they don’t want me.”

Jansson was seen close to tears on the pitch at full-time as their promotion hopes faltered at the semi-final stages of the play-offs following a 4-2 home defeat to Derby and, reflecting on the disappointment, the former Malmo man insists he will soon be ready to go again.

“Give me a holiday and a few beers and I’ll be back in England and we have another go,” he commented.

Jansson is just one of several players to have improved under the guidance of Bielsa, but worrying rumours last week suggested he did not always see eye to eye with the Argentinian coach. And while Jansson used Twitter to set the record straight, he has now gone one step further and spoken very highly about the Leeds boss.

“I know how much he cares about me,” he said. “The way I have developed as a player and as a person and how I train, sleep and eat. It’s been a huge change and it’s more or less because of him.

“Sure it’s been tough and a lot of long training sessions . But you have to take Bielsa for what he’s done to our team. He’s been fantastic.”

 

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