support

Mon 9 April 2018 10:33, UK

COMMENT

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani must break the bank in order to retain the services of Spanish winger Pablo Hernandez at the Yorkshire outfit for the foreseeable future.

The 32-year-old former Valencia ace has been a revelation at Elland Road and a firm favourite of the Whites faithful after arriving from Al Arabi the January before last.

But now, with his contract due to expire this summer, the fact that he is the Championship’s most creative player according to LUFCDATA and averages 3.14 opportunities for his teammates per game, his importance to the side is not only visually clear but statistically too.

Hernandez has been one of only a handful of players at Elland Road to actually consistently perform at a good level.

Nine goals and ten assists in 39 outings are figures that shouldn’t be dismissed and while all around him are failing, his inclusion in the team for next season is imperative if the club is going to attempt to make a bid for Premier League promotion.

But there has been no real confirmation from the hierarchy that this is going to happen and manager Paul Heckingbottom had previously admitted that the attacker’s future will be decided in the summer.

Obviously, at 32, it would be ridiculous to suggest offering the winger anything more than a 12-month extension but financially he must be rewarded by the powers that be.

In other Leeds United news, with Leeds big name out for rest of the season in new blow, rarely-seen ace must be given run.