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Mateusz Klich given pundit’s blessing to leave Leeds as main reason emerges for transfer wish

Leeds United midfielder Mateusz Klich

A pundit has backed Mateusz Klich to leave Leeds United this summer, with rumours of a transfer for the central midfielder growing.

Klich has been a Leeds player since July 2017. The Whites paid Dutch club FC Twente just over £1.5million to sign him, according to transfermarkt.

Klich spent the second half of the 2017/18 campaign on loan at FC Utrecht, back in the Netherlands. Other than that, he has been on Leeds’ books in recent seasons.

The 32-year-old played an important role in the club’s success under Marcelo Bielsa. During their Championship title triumph in 2019/20, he made 45 league appearances. Six goals and five assists came Klich’s way in that time.

Klich has featured regularly for Leeds in each of the last two Premier League seasons. However, reports now claim the Poland international could push through an exit.

According to Polish source Meczyki, he is ‘determined’ to move on before the transfer window shuts. And the main reason for this is playing time.

Klich is unsure whether he will play enough under Jesse Marsch this season. And remaining on the bench could jeopardise his chances of starting for Poland at the Qatar World Cup.

Klich has been linked with a return to Utrecht, where he had a successful loan spell. And former Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson has given the transfer his blessing, backing Klich to be sold to ‘free up space’ in Marsch’s squad.

Pundit reacts to Mateusz Klich exit rumours

“Klich’s not a starter,” Robinson told MOT Leeds News. “He played more than I expected him to last year.

“With the World Cup coming up in the winter, you look at the squad Leeds have got and the team selection on Saturday [against Wolves].

“Klich came on after 65 minutes for Rodrigo but Leeds aren’t competing on that many fronts. They’re not in Europe, they’re not going to have a problem with playing three games a week, squad rotation isn’t going to be a huge problem for the manager.

“With that in mind, I can’t see Klich starting as many games as he would like.

“That’s potentially one that Jesse Marsch would look to do and that would free up space in the squad for him.

“At Klich’s age and his stage of his career, he’ll want to be playing more regularly.”

Robinson raises a good point about squad rotation. Unlike the top six, Leeds don’t have to worry as much about changing their team due to playing regular midweek games.

Marsch has plenty of options in central midfield, most notably Tyler Adams, Marc Roca, Darko Gyabi and Adam Forshaw. Due to this, it’s hard to see how Klich will receive as many appearances as he desires.

While a transfer makes sense, going back to Utrecht does not. Klich has proven he is able to cut it in the Premier League. As such, he should push to join a bigger club than Utrecht, potentially in one of Europe’s other top five leagues.

Meanwhile, Leeds look set to miss out on Paris Saint-Germain striker Arnaud Kalimuendo as the 20-year-old is close to joining a fellow Ligue 1 club.