Leeds 27-yr-old is shot, his career at club could now be over – report
By Richard Parks
Felix Wiedwald is “shot” and may never play for Leeds United again, according to a report.
The Yorkshire Evening Post claim that the goalkeeper, 27, is shellshocked after being axed for the second time this season ahead of United’s 3-0 defeat to Wolves on Wednesday night.
It is said that it remains to be seen if Wiedwald’s Elland Road career “has any life left in it” after Paul Heckingbottom made the huge call to dump the German to the bench despite the unavailability through injury of his deputy Andy Lonergan.
Academy product Bailey Peacock-Farrell, 21, was fast-tracked into the Leeds starting XI and responded with an excellent display as he made a string of fine saves to prevent a comprehensive defeat turning into a humiliating one.
The Yorkshire Evening Post report that it is almost certain that Peacock-Farrell will retain his starting spot in goal for the weekend’s league clash against Reading on Saturday.
Football Insider verdict:
With his confidence in tatters and his reputation at rock-bottom, it is difficult to see any other scenario than Wiedwald returning to Germany in the summer window. Leeds’ problems extend far beyond the goalkeeper position – Peacock-Farrell was outstanding against Wolves but the defeat was still a comprehensive one – and it would be unfair and wrong to scapegoat the £500,000 signing from Werder Bremen. But Wiedwald has many too many high-profile errors to earn the trust of either his manager or the players in front of him. Essentially, his game is not suited at all to the demands of the Championship.
In other Leeds United transfer news, the club have agreed the terms of an £8.5million deal, with the first payment scheduled for the summer.