Waste of money: Leeds summer signing is 2016 biggest disappointment
COMMENT By Will Butcher
Football Insider names Leeds’ biggest disappointment of 2016.
Marcus Antonsson is the biggest disappointment of 2016 at Leeds after his summer move to Elland Road from Sweden fell sour.
His reported £3million move to the Yorkshire giants from Kalmar FF sparked plenty of excitement on the terraces at Elland Road this summer, as Garry Monk conducted an overhaul of the Leeds squad.
However, just three goals for Leeds in four months has seen that relatively big-money fee go to waste. Antonsson has struggled to adapt to the strenuous rigours of the Championship.
Despite his obvious eye for goal, Antonsson has failed to adjust to the physicality of England’s second tier, with defenders shrugging him off the ball with apparent ease.
New Zealand international Chris Wood’s fine form in front of goal has limited the 25-year-old to just six Championship starts.
Even with Wood currently struggling with a hamstring injury, Antonsson was overlooked for Souleymane Doukara on Saturday as Leeds secured a 1-0 win at home to Brentford.
Now third in the striker pecking order with the former Champions League side, Antonsson could fall even further as Leeds open £2million talks with West Ham over the signing of Ashley Fletcher.
Just one goal in the Championship this season against Sheffield Wednesday could mean Antonsson finding himself leaving on loan or permanently as he looks to gain regular game time.
Antonsson has failed to start a league match in over three months and is unlikely to break his way into Garry Monk’s team in the near future.
With that in mind, the Swedish forward is Football Insider’s biggest disappointment of the year at Leeds.
In other Leeds news, Stan Collymore has revealed he would take this Leeds figure to Championship rivals.