After a rather underwhelming season in the Championship for Leeds United, Marcelo Bielsa, the new manager at Elland Road, will not look to take them closer to a place in the top flight next season. He is yet to add a star name to his squad from the previous season but has been busy getting rid of deadwood at the club this summer.
He has already sent four players out on loan and this week has agreed to sell 27-year old Marcus Antonsson to Swedish Malmo.
Born and brought up in Sweden, Antonsson joined Leeds United the summer before the last from Kalmar FF, another club in Allsvenskan. He came to England after scoring 10 goals in 12 league games in his home country and was expected to make an immediate impact at Leeds United.
However, he managed just one league goal in six starts and 11 substitute appearances in his first season at the club, before being sent out on loan to Blackburn Rovers last season. He helped the Riversiders to promotion from League One, picking up eight goals and three assists in 34 games in all competitions for the club.
He returned to Leeds this summer with a couple of years left on his contract, with Blackburn, not interests in making his move permanent. Bielsa also does not seem to have been impressed with him and has allowed him to move back to his home country with Malmo, for an undisclosed fee.
He never seemed to have settled in the English league and at 27, quickly needs to find some form. He could have struggled at Leeds for another season, acting as a backup but Bielsa has plans to reshape his squad and Antonsson does not have a place in it.
The Argentine manager is already looking to add a striker to his side and has been linked with the likes of Matej Vydra, Abel Hernandez and Jerry Mbakogu. So Leeds are sure to get a new striker this summer, which makes this move for Antonsson the right move for all parties.
The Whites have already allowed Madger Gomes and Felix Wiedwalk to quit while the likes of Moses Abioye, Matthew Keogh, Moise Kroma and Romario Vieira were all released, as Bielsa looks to stamp his authority on the squad.
Read More: 3 Alternatives For 25 Y/O Serie B Striker At Leeds United Including This Newcastle United Forward!
He already has Pierre-Michel Lasogga and Kemar Roofe in his side for the new season and an addition of the striker will only see an upgrade on those names. So it will be interesting to see who Leeds add as their new striker this summer.
