Leeds United fullback Rasmus Kristensen will likely return to Elland Road this summer as AS Roma have made a surprise U-turn on his future, according to the latest reports.
At the beginning of the 2022/23 season, the Dane moved to West Yorkshire from Austrian giants RB Salzburg for £10 million but had a dismal start to life in English football as Leeds were relegated from the Premier League.
Kristensen made 26 appearances in the top-flight in the previous campaign for the Whites across three different managers, all with differing philosophies in Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and eventually Sam Allardyce which made it incredibly difficult for the Danish fullback to settle into life at Leeds.
Once the summer transfer window rolled around, Kristensen was sent out on loan to Roma and played under the tutelage of the great Jose Mourinho until after Christmas when the Portuguese coach was relieved of his duties and replaced with Daniele De Rossi.
Across the 2023/24 campaign so far, 21 of his 29 total appearances for the Giallorossi have come during Mourinho’s time in charge while only eight have come under De Rossi’s guidance. As a result, the goalposts regarding his future seem to have shifted.
https://twitter.com/ASRomaEN/status/1679894766601793536
According to a report from Football Insider, the Italian side are not looking to make Kristensen’s loan deal a permanent one over the summer as the Denmark international is now expected to return to Leeds United, unsure of his future with the English club.
The outlet also previously revealed that the 26-year-old is not in Daniel Farke’s plans moving forward which could mean that Leeds will sell him elsewhere, if not to Roma.
Writer’s View
Kristensen still has three years remaining on his contract with Leeds United, meaning the Yorkshire outfit could ask for a decent fee this summer should they look to sell him permanently, or at least recoup the £10 million that the club spent on him two years ago.
It’ll be a sad end to his time in the Italian capital. Kristensen possibly felt he was comfortable with Roma during Mourinho’s time in charge but football is a cruel game. De Rossi hasn’t fancied him and now the Dane will be looking for yet another club this summer.