Adam Forshaw did not extend his stay at Elland Road with a new contract at Leeds United this summer because of Daniel Farke, according to Phil Hay.
The Athletic journalist reported on Friday (1 December) that the experienced midfielder and the Whites had arranged terms of a new deal on reduced wages, but Farke wanted to see how he handled his training sessions before extending his stay.
Given Forshaw’s injury record, Farke wanted to see how he could stand up to the intensity of his training sessions, something that the then 31-year-old was “reluctant” to do without an offer on the table
Other clubs were already expressing an interest in the midfielder and Leeds had other midfield targets so both parties went their separate ways with the Whites signing Glen Kamara and Ilia Gruev and Forshaw joining Norwich City.
No room for sentimentality
No supporter ever wants to see one of their everpresent stars depart their club, but as Leeds United push for an immediate return to the Premier League, there can be no room for sentimentality at Elland Road and Forshaw was a victim of that ambition.
Farke needs a squad of players who are all capable of stepping up when they’re required to play a high-energy, attacking brand of football and it would have been naive of him to assume that Forshaw was capable of playing in that style without seeing him in training.
Since departing Elland Road, the 32-year-old has only started two Championship matches and played a grand total of 185 league minutes without really having a huge influence on matches, while Kamara and Ethan Ampadu have gone from strength to strength under Farke’s tutelage.
Leeds United have an incredibly strong midfield and it is hard to see where Forshaw would have slotted in had he remained a member of Farke’s side. It is unlikely he would have been anything more than a fringe player reduced to short cameos from the bench.
In the long-term plan at Leeds, the Whites would be better off allowing the likes of Archie Gray and Jamie Shackleton to continue to feature regularly and continue their development, rather than offering a deal to a midfielder who hasn’t shown he can handle the workload
