According to Italian transfer expert, Antonello Gallo, as cited by Area Napoli, Napoli were interested in Mateusz Bogusz when he was at Ruch Chorzow. The Pole is yet to make his breakthrough at Elland Road and only last week; he voiced his disappointment with Marcelo Bielsa. Now Bogusz faces an uncertain future at the club as Napoli could reignite their interest in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Mateusz Bogusz’s lack of chances at Leeds United
Bogusz joined Leeds at the start of last year, in a €100k move from Ruch Chorzow. He was regarded as one of the most talented young players in Poland, notably scoring five goals in 19 matches in the second division during the 2018/19 campaign.
However, the 18-year-old has endured a slow start to his career at Leeds United. He didn’t feature in a single game during the rest of the 2018/19 season in the Championship. This season, Bogusz has only made one appearance for the first-team, and that too came in the EFL Cup fixture against Stoke City back in August when the Whites lost on penalties.
Why has Bogusz struggled under Marcelo Bielsa?
The fact that Bogusz has failed to establish himself as a key component in the Leeds United midfield depends on several factors. Perhaps the main reason is the stubbornness of Bielsa.
Indeed, the Leeds manager is someone who likes to maintain the core of his side, rarely making any changes to his tried and tested first-team eleven. The Argentine mastermind already has two reliable options in central midfield in Kalvin Phillips and Mateusz Klich along with other candidates including Adam Forshaw and Jamie Shackleton.
Just to put things into perspective, none of the Leeds United central midfielders except Klich and Phillips have featured in over 600 minutes of league football this campaign, thus indicating Bielsa’s stubbornness when it comes to team selection.
Does Bogusz have a future at Elland Road?
Bogusz’s future at Leeds United will depend heavily on whether or not the Whites qualify for the Premier League next season. Their potential promotion to the top flight could further reduce his chances of making a breakthrough in the first-team, with the club likely to bring in other quality alternatives.
However, if the Coronavirus does force the authorities to deem the season null and void, effectively restricting Leeds from gaining promotion, it could urge Phillips to leave the club. This, in turn, shall pave the way for Bogusz to gain a more prominent role in the first-team. Therefore, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for this Polish sensation this summer.
