Exclusive: Bruce claims £4m ace has gone downhill since quitting Leeds
West Brom defender Kyle Bartley is guilty of making too many “stupid errors” and has gone downhill since his Leeds United spell, according to Alex Bruce.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Premier League defender claims Bartley has the makings of a top quality centre-back at the highest level.
But Bruce urged the former Leeds loanee and Swansea City player, 28, to kick on and take his game to the next level.
“Inconsistency is the problem for him,” Bruce told Football Insider. “The one thing you can say about him from when he was at Swansea – and he had a bit of a time at Leeds -he’s got to get his consistency levels sorted.
“He’s been one to play really well, catch your eye and then make a stupid mistake like he gives the penalty away.
“He redeems himself by going and scoring a goal, that pretty much sums him up really.”
Bartley has been a mainstay of the Baggies side since signing permanently in the summer of 2018 for around £4million.
He has made 32 Championship starts among 35 appearances in all competitions this season.
“If he gets promoted this year, I personally think as a centre-half you get better with age, and that’s what he’s got to do,” Bruce added.
“He’s got to cut out the silly mistakes that he makes and if West Brom get promoted he wants to establish himself as a Premier League centre-half because he’s got the makings to do it.”
Bartley spent a season at Leeds in 2016-17 when Garry Monk was manager and started 45 of their 46 league matches as they narrowly missed out on promotion.
In other Leeds United news, Danny Mills has dropped Kalvin Phillips BOMBSHELL in this exclusive interview.