Sources: Bielsa freezes out Leeds international player at Thorp Arch, may continue all season

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Published on:

27 Aug 2019, 1:30 am

EXCLUSIVE By Wayne Veysey

Vurnon Anita has been frozen out of the Leeds United set-up and forced to train away from the first-team squad at Thorp Arch, Football Insider understands.

The Holland international, 30, has failed to make the matchday squad for any of Leeds' six matches this season after being deemed surplus to requirements.

A Leeds source has told Football Insider that the club and manager Marcelo Bielsa are keen to offload Anita before the main European window shuts in six days' time and will listen to offers.

But Anita has failed to secure a summer move after talks to join Greek club Panathinaikos collapsed last month.

There is no deal in the offing for the experienced campaigner and time is now running out for him to secure a late-summer transfer.

Anita faces the prospect of being frozen out of the Leeds team for the final year of his contract at the club, which runs until next June.

He spent last season on loan to Dutch side Willem II last season and there was hope among the United hierarchy he would have sealed a permanent move by now.

Anita was expected to make a big impact at Elland road after signing in the summer of 2017 on a free transfer after playing 106 times in the Premier League for Newcastle United and three times for Holland.

But one of the key men in Newcastle's 2016-17 promotion campaign was used mainly as a back-up full-back by ex-managers Thomas Christiansen and Paul Heckingbottom before being given the cold shoulder by Bielsa..

In other Leeds United news, it can be REVEALED that the club are to hold imminent talks with 23-year-old over a deal worth more than £10million.

Leeds United