Leeds United have omitted their Dutch defender Vurnon Anita from their squad which faced Sheffield United on Saturday. The Peacocks suffered their 13th defeat of the season when they narrowly lost 2-1 away at Bramall Lane. The Blades took the lead in the 2nd minute through Billy Sharp but Leeds United responded after halftime via a goal from Pierre-Michel Lasogga.
However, the home team narrowly edged the contest when Billy Sharp converted from the penalty spot. Anita was surprisingly not used during the game and ended up being an unused substitute on the day.
The West Yorkshire appointed a new manager at the helm in the form of Paul Heckingbottom earlier this month and he is yet to use his services so far. The 28-year-old’s last appearance for the Peacocks came in their match against Ipswich Town on the 13th of January and the defender has not featured for the Elland Road outfit since then.
The Netherlands international has found game time limited under both Thomas Christensen and Paul Heckingbottom this season which indicates that his time at the West Yorkshire club might be coming to an end.
Leeds United are currently in 11th place in the Skybet Championship with a tally of 44 points in 31 league matches. It looks like they are going to miss out on the playoffs once again after falling 8 points behind the final playoff spot which is occupied by Bristol City at the moment. The departure of Anita could leave them a bit short of quality as they try to rebuild under their new boss going into the next campaign. The 28-year-old made a switch to Elland Road from Newcastle United last summer on a free transfer.
The Dutch defender has featured in 16 matches for the Championship side this season and is yet to find the back of the net. He is highly versatile and can operate in a number of different positions. Anita can play as a defensive midfielder or in the full-back positions. The former Ajax player also boasts 3 international caps for the Netherlands national team in his career.
His versatility and experience make him a useful asset to any team. The Peacocks will be foolish to let him leave and there has been no indication from the player, regarding his discontentment for repeated exclusions from the Leeds first-team this term. It remains to be seen if it becomes a problem in the near future and if he ends up leaving Yorkshire in search of more first-team opportunities.
