'Not up to me' - Leeds United star set to leave this summer makes honest future admission
A number of Leeds United players will leave this summer as things stand.
Joe Rothwell is yet to hold any talks over his long-term future with the midfielder’s Leeds United loan move set to end this summer.
Rothwell’s season-long loan switch from Bournemouth to Leeds does not include a permanent option and so as things stand, he will return to the south coast this summer. The dynamic midfielder is one of several first-team players with no confirmed future beyond the current campaign, alongside fellow loanee Manor Solomon and players like Junior Firpo whose contract expires in June.
The 30-year-old has become a big favourite among supporters in recent weeks for his tenacious approach and forward-thinking instincts, while a pair of match-winning assists for Pascal Struijk against Sunderland did little to harm his chances of a permanent switch. But Leeds are opting to hold off on long-term talks until the short-term goal is achieved and Rothwell remains fully focused on securing promotion first and foremost.
Joe Rothwell on his Leeds United future
“I've not really thought about it [staying at Leeds long-term]," he told Leeds Live. “You know, the full focus now is getting the club back to the Premier League. I've said it from day dot really, I've loved my time here and whether that continues, that's not up to me.
“That’s between the club and my agent, but I'll just concentrate on doing what I've got to do and hopefully help this club get back up to the Premier League. I haven't [held any talks about the future]. I've not looked into it or pushed through [with] it. The full focus is getting the club back up.”
To that end, Rothwell has contributed significantly in recent weeks. The midfielder’s assists for Struijk in that 2-1 comeback win over Sunderland will long be remembered while his introduction at Sheffield United was the catalyst for another memorable victory.
More goals the goal for Rothwell
A typically snappy challenge and run led to Jake Cooper’s early own-goal in a much-needed 2-0 win over Millwall earlier this month but that won’t go down as an assist. And as of yet, the on-loan Bournemouth man - who scored four times for Southampton last season - is yet to find the net in a Leeds shirt.
“I've been really happy with [my season] to be honest, coming off the back of last season when I didn't play anywhere near as much as I would have liked,” Rothwell added. “So I came here hoping to play and obviously at the start it didn't quite go that way but I managed to find my way into the team and yeah, I’ve really enjoyed it.
“I've been a bit disappointed in myself with the numbers that I've produced, not just in goals but in terms of assists as well. So it's something that by the end of the season that I would like to add to, especially trying to get in with a few goals.
“I've said it before, if we're going to be successful as a team, I think everyone's got to contribute. There's no one more disappointed than myself that I've not been able to add the goals yet, but, you know, still eight games to go and hopefully, I can hopefully get a couple.”
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