Leeds ‘very happy to sell’ former PL flop as insider explains Farke deadline day decision

Transfer insider Ben Jacobs has explained why Leeds United were “very happy to sell” Ian Poveda at the end of the January transfer window.

Poveda joined the Whites with a good deal of promise when he left Manchester City in 2020. The youngster scored a good number of goals and chipped in with assists at City’s academy.

As such, Leeds believed they were getting a player who could make the move up to senior football quite easily.

However, Poveda never really showed the signs of improvement they were after.

Indeed, in his first top-flight season, he played 14 games, but was unable to have any impact going forwards, and that led to him being loaned out to Blackburn the following season.

Poveda scored once and assisted twice in 10 Championship games that season, and followed that up with two goals and an assist in the second tier on a subsequent loan to Blackpool.

He returned to Elland Road for the beginning of this season, but other attackers were preferred to him, and he played just 144 minutes of Championship football.

Sheffield Wednesday were courting him during the January window, and have landed him on loan until the end of the season.

Leeds ‘very happy to sell’ Poveda

It was initially reported that he’d be leaving permanently in the winter, which would allow the Whites to recoup a fee at the last chance to do so, given Poveda is out of contract at the end of the season.

Transfer insider Jacobs has suggested they will still get some form of a fee, as they were eager to sell Poveda give his contract situation.

“He played under 40 games and because he was out of contract this summer, Leeds are very happy to sell him,” Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT.

“Sheffield Wednesday beat off competition from Birmingham to get that one over the line.”

Poveda development a shock to Leeds

Jacobs has also suggested Leeds were shocked that Poveda was unable to live up to expectations, as they were excited to see how well he’d do.

“Only 23 and he joined from Manchester City with a big reputation in 2020. Leeds were very excited to see how he was going to develop,” he added.

While he did not develop how he’d have wanted at Elland Road, a move to Sheffield Wednesday represents a good chance to get back into the swing of things.

Indeed, they’re struggling at the bottom end of the Championship, and they’ll be looking to Poveda’s quality to help them out of the mire.

Given they don’t possess the amount of quality attackers that Leeds do, the winger will surely be given much more of a chance at Hillsborough than Elland Road.

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