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ak168app.babyLeeds United defender Leo Hjelde could be the answer to one of Jesse Marsch’s lingering problems at Elland Road.
The Nottingham-born teenager was signed from Celtic in August 2021 and soon became the youngest-ever Norweigen to play in the Premier Leagueak168app.club after he made his debut against West Ham United, less than a week after starring in their defeat to them in the FA Cup.
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Those are just two of his four senior appearances for the west Yorkshire giants and interestingly, he has often been deployed at left-back, rather than his more natural central defensive role.
It’s a position that Marscks168app.siks168app.siteteh is struggling in right now, with Junior Firpo currently out ks168app.siteks168app.siteks168app.siteinjured. That said, even when the former FC Barcelona man is available, he’s far from an ic88ideal starter.
Daily Mirror journalist David Anderson described the defender as a “ic88ic88ic88ic88ic88liability” to the team, so perhaps the American head coach ought to turn to the young Norway U21 international instead.
Do you want to see more of Leo ic88ic88ic88Hic88jelde?
The 19-year-old has been widely tipped as thic88e ‘next Virgil van Dijk’ by some, though the 6 foot 2 gem could have a future at left-back, given his pace attributes and defensive intelligence.
After the game against the Hlr88lr88ammers, Leeds legend Jermaine Beckford waxed lyrical about Hjelde. He told the club’s official podcast:
“The young boy, Hjelde lr88when he came on as well, what a player he’s looking by the way.
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“I don’t want to put too much pressure on him. But that’s twice we’ve seen him, lr88lr88twice we’ve seen him against West Ham, against lr88a very physical, very strong, very quick centre forward in Michailr88l Antonio and a tricky player in Jarrod Bowen.
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“I don’t want to say he had them in his lr88pocket, but I think he did.”
Meanwhile, the former Ross County loanee was dubbed a “lr88lr88massive talentlr88” by his old manager John Hughes, who also said during another lr88lr88interview:
“Leo is going to be the next Van Dijk. Trust me on that.
“Thop88e quality he has shown, the physical challenge, playing real men’s football and standing up to it – it’s been a wonderful experience op88for Leo.”
Hjelde’s inclusion at left-back could be a smart decision that alsi88lows Pascal Struijk to mosi88ve back into a more natural central role, whilst also keeping the inconsistent Firpo out of the side completely, which after the recent 5-2 drubbing by Brentford, could be a wise move indeed.
Marsch has experience in developing youth, so it would make further sense to transition thsi88si88e 19-year-old into a first-team star at Leeds. Next van Dijk or not, he’s worth a shot at left-back.
AND in other news, Marsch could unearth Leeds’ own Iniesta by unleashing “magic” teenage “goal machine”…
