Here are the Leeds United morning headlines on Tuesday 2nd March 2021.
Kieran Maguire suggests scope for 55,000-seater Elland Road
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has teased the possibility of Elland Road rivalling Anfield for capacity with the scope Leeds have to renovate the stadium.
Andrea Radrizzani spoke in February about how potential improvements to Elland Road were part of his vision for the club moving forwards and Maguire has supported the idea of a significant expansion.
“Leeds being a one-club city, there’s no reason they can’t be looking at 55,000 capacity," he told Football Insider.
“The potential for matchday revenue there is enormous and potentially among the biggest in the Premier League.
“Everton are looking for 54,000. Anfield is about the same level. If Liverpool as a city can accommodate two clubs with that capacity, Leeds certainly can match that as a one-club city.
“They would still sell out every match.”
Roberto Martinez discusses Pascal Struijk's Belgium credentials
Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has fuelled the possibility of Pascal Struijk lining up for the Red Devils by suggesting that the Leeds starlet could help solve a need in his squad defensively.
Struijk's international future has, as yet, not been resolved but with every week that he appears in the United starting XI the calls grow louder for a possible call-up and he would appear likelier to force his way through with Belgium than his native Netherlands.
"I was very impressed with his performance when he started playing for Leeds in the Championship," he told Belgian broadcaster RTBF.
"We have to look to the future, but we don't have that kind of profile: a left-sided central defender.
"For the moment, [Struijk] is one of the players we have seen who could fit that criterion. We will make a decision as the camp approaches in March. With Pascal, there are still two or three players that we try to attract, but I won't say the names.
"Currently, we haven't made our decision yet."
Jamie Carragher hails Aston Villa defender for helping to foil Leeds
Jamie Carragher waxed lyrical over the performance of Ezri Konsa at Leeds United during last night's Monday Night Football pre-match coverage ahead of Everton's 1-0 win over Southampton.
Patrick Bamford was foiled by a stern Villa backline and Carragher believes Konsa was the key reason for Marcelo Bielsa's side's struggles on Saturday evening.
“Konsa, alongside Tyrone Mings, that and the goalkeeper, that triangle I think will be huge for them," he said.
“And Konsa, a player who has made more blocks in the Premier League this season, [is] a brilliant defender.
“I think he has made a huge difference. I think as a partnership they have played together more than anyone else in the Premier League, so very consistent.
“I can’t talk up how impressed I have been with him defensively, he doesn’t do silly things.
“In the 86th minute at Leeds he knows a cross is going to come in, a perfect position with Bamford just half a yard ahead of him, he knows where he is and he can get to the ball first.
“When it drops, it’s a poor touch [from Leeds] and he jumps on it - but how often do you see a defender go flying in and give a penalty away there?
“I have said this before as a defender don’t make tackles in the box, block shots, be there, make yourself big and this is what he does.
“He doesn’t make a tackle, he just stands there, what’s the attacker going to do?”
