Leeds United loanee talks up about ‘annoying’ European snub
Check out the latest Leeds United news as one of its Championship rivals makes a high-profile managerial change.
On Wednesday, October 11, here are the latest Leeds United evening headlines.
Rasmus Kristensen, on loan from Leeds United, has overcome a difficult start at Roma to cement a regular spot in Jose Mourinho’s starting XI in recent weeks. The Dane has been moved forward on the right rather than his customary position at Leeds.
This comes after he was a sacrificial lamb in the club’s Europa League squad, with the Serie A side preferring not to include him or Sardar Azmoun owing to financial fair play limits. The 26-year-old has now spoken out about his decision, as well as his time working under former Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho.
“He’s [Mourinho] a top-tier coach in my opinion.” So, of course, I wanted to collaborate with him. “It’s been really cool and educational so far,” he told TV2 Sport.
“Of course, that [omission from the Europa League squad] exhausted me, but I understood the rules of financial fair play.” I wasn’t surprised that they went with a right back. It would have been more contentious to exclude Lukaku.
“He expressed his regret and acknowledged that he understood how furious and dissatisfied I was. But that was the only option. I’m powerless to change anything.
Byram on his Leeds United risk, interest, Farke’s message, Elland Road contrast
Sam Byram has opened up on the risk he had to take this summer to earn the deal that sealed his Leeds United comeback under Daniel Farke. Byram penned a one-year deal with the Whites on the eve of the new season and he has since established himself as a key man within Farke’s Championship starting XI.
However, his return to West Yorkshire wasn’t exactly straightforward and the defender took a number of gambles and backed himself to eventually re-ignite his Leeds career, seven years after initially leaving the club to join West Ham United in 2016. Byram was a free agent after a series of injury issues saw him released from Norwich City at the end of last season.
As a result, with his partner expecting and his house in East Anglia sold, Byram returned north with no commitments from Elland Road or elsewhere. The chance to return to the club where it all began for him and work under Farke again was too wonderful to pass up, so the 30-year-old plunged himself into pre-season training at Thorp Arch.
Leeds United rivals Birmingham City confirm Wayne Rooney as new manager
Rooney has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with the club after leaving MLS side DC United earlier this month after his team failed to qualify for the play-offs. Rooney will return to the Midlands having starting his management career at Derby County between 2020 and 2022.
The 37-year-old is the Blues’ new American owners Shelby Companies Limited’s first managerial hire since they purchased the club in the summer, following anger in certain quarters over their termination of Eustace, who had the team in the play-off spots after 11 games.
