As the team makes its Elland Road comeback to the Championship this year, Leeds United’s $1.5 million star has drawn some criticism.
Despite criticism, Leeds United right-back Luke Ayling is a “important part of the club” at Elland Road, according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who also shares Joe Wainman’s opinions with GIVEMESPORT.
This season, Daniel Farke wants to take the Whites straight into the Premier League.
Luke Ayling, in the Leeds news
Ayling’s future at Leeds is in doubt, therefore he might have earned a break in Farke’s side as a result of a change in circumstances. Djed Spence, a former England U21 right back who plays for Tottenham Hotspur, has joined the Whites on a season-long loan. During his season-long loan at Nottingham Forest in 2021–2022, the 23-year-old made a significant contribution to the team’s promotion and established himself as one of the top fullbacks in the division.
A lower-tier comeback would imply that he wants to establish himself as a regular in Yorkshire. However, Leeds announced on Monday that Spence had injured his lateral collateral ligament as a result of a tackle in practice. He won’t need surgery, but he could miss up to eight weeks of play due to the injury.
The news is a “massive blow” for Farke’s side, who were getting ready for life with Spence, according to Wainman, who also told GIVEMESPORT that. The Football League World’s Kris Smith acknowledges that Ayling’s season hasn’t gone as planned and that the reportedly £25,000 weekly earner has struggled in the Championship this year.
What have Wainman and Jones said on Ayling and Leeds?
Jones thinks that early in the season, Ayling, who is assessed by Transfermarkt at about £1.5 million, has been subjected to some “harsh and unfair” criticism. The 32-year-old is expected to secure a new deal and continue to play a crucial role for the team, according to the transfer insider. To GIVEMESPORT, he said:
“Ayling has received some criticism thus far in the season, some of which I believe to be harsh and unfair. He has consistently performed admirably for Leeds throughout the years and has always been the dressing room’s most dependable and dominant figure. I believe he has moved past that time. He probably didn’t find it easy to face criticism and have people ask how we fit in the long run. Ayling, nevertheless, has a keen mental faculties.
“I believe that his performances right now are good. And I believe that in the near future, we can rely on him. Additionally, I believe he’ll stay at Leeds beyond this season. He’ll likely sign a new deal and carry on as an important part of the club.
Wainman, who supports Ayling in the meantime, acknowledges that he has been on a “downward trajectory.” The presenter feels that since Spence has only been on screen for 20 minutes, the fan base “can’t complain.” He responded to GIVEMESPORT when asked if the injured right-back has improved the side:
“Does he make us better? Yes, as Ayling is moving in the wrong direction. That should be obvious. Ayling, though, has been fine. Ayling is fine in this division, in my opinion. He is more than sufficient. If we had started with him in the Premier League, it might have been a significant setback. Perhaps we would have been thinking, “Oh no, what will we do now that Spence is out?” if Spence had started the first six games. However, we can’t complain because he only played for 20 minutes.
Given that he had held the position before the Tottenham prospect came at Elland Road, Ayling appears to be a lock to replace Spence as Farke’s primary right-back during his absence. Despite Celtic under Brendan Rodgers’ management showing interest, the seasoned defender moved to Yorkshire from Bristol City almost seven years ago.
Ayling has saw the club agonizingly lose out on making it to a Championship play-off final during that time before rebounding the following season to win promotion to the Premier League. The London-born talent played regularly for Leeds throughout their three seasons in the Premier League, but he or she will be unhappy at how they were demoted last year. Therefore, it’s difficult to see how Ayling can fail over the course of the next eight weeks as Spence works to regain match fitness.
What is next for Ayling and Leeds?
Leeds will visit Southampton the next weekend in a match that was previously played in the Premier League. The Whites are hoping to capitalize on a Russell Martin under pressure, whose team had given up ten goals in three games prior to their trip to Middlesbrough on Saturday. Before the second international break of the year, Queens Park Rangers and Bristol City will play at Elland Road in Yorkshire.
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