Throughout the Cellino era at Leeds United, the Whites had been crying out for that creative #10 type to play just behind the lone striker formation that was favoured at Elland Road.

Such was the need that many were slotted, often uncomfortably, into that role. Players such as young Brazilian Adryan and even Alex Mowatt were trialled there – neither of those worked.

Things got better when former Swansea City attacking midfielder Pablo Hernandez signed from Qatari side Al Arabi on an initial half-season loan deal. He had the skill and creativity to finally give Leeds United that ’round peg in a round hole’ player that they were looking for.

Things got even better for the Whites last summer when they signed Spaniard Samu Saiz from La Liga 2 side SD Huesca. Saiz, formerly of both Real and Atletico Madrid, had driven Huesca to the verge of promotion to La Liga, the Spaniards falling short in the play-offs.

His first season at Elland Road showed Leeds fans that panache and flair that the side had been missing. He showed glimpses of skill and highlighted his potential with five goals and seven assists in the Sky Bet Championship and a further four goals in the Carabao Cup.

However, according to rumours coming from Spain, Saiz’s first season in England with Leeds United could also be his last:

Informa @edgarNL_95:

El Getafe ha realizado una oferta de 7M€ por Samu Sáiz y el Valencia otra de 10M€. Ambas han sido rechazadas por el Leeds United. pic.twitter.com/giDWKmQtZr — Hora Azulona (Desde casa 🏠) (@HoraAzulona) July 22, 2018

This tweet comes from Spanish site Hora Azulona – a radio station that is dedicated uniquely and exclusively to Spanish side Getafe, who play in La Segunda – Spanish football’s second tier.

They cite Edgar Navarro (@edgarNL_95) as the source for the information that they have tweeted. Navarro himself posted the following earlier:

Ante los infundados rumores que sitúan a Samu Sáiz en la #SDHuesca: el Getafe ha realizado una oferta de 7M€ por el jugador y el Valencia otra de 10M€. Ambas han sido rechazadas por el Leeds United. Bielsa confía en Samu y él no tiene intención de salir. — Edgar Navarro (@edgarNL_95) July 22, 2018

Navarro writes for Spanish website Sport Huesca, his position being the chief writer for SD Huesca-related issues. Obviously the link here is that Saiz came from there, but the rumours are not about them having any form of interest in the now Leeds United player.

Navarro’s tweet reads in English: “Before unfounded rumours place Samu Saiz with SD Huesca: Getafe has made an offer of €7m for the player and Valencia another [offer] of €10m. Both have been rejected by Leeds United. Bielsa trusts Samu and he has no intention of leaving.”

Verdict of sorts

It’s always difficult when gauging whether to write or not about rumours such as these. Whenever you look at Twitter there are always some rogue parody agent-types professing to know from a source close to the club that Player X is going to Club Y for amount Z. In fairness that could just be what this is, although the Spanish writer/journalist has more credentials than Secret Agent ITK who has tweeted 25 times and has 102 followers, discounting family.

It isn’t inconceivable that Saiz’s displays have caught the eyes of suitors, deep down it is something that would haunt many Leeds fans if this were to happen. The amounts quoted too, €10m/€7m or £8.9m/£6.2m, would seem to be in the ballpark where many fans would value Saiz.

However, what would give almost all Leeds United fans hope is that, if the rumour is true, that Leeds have turned both bids down flat. Not only that, but that new manager Marcelo Bielsa sees the Spaniard as a key part of the team going forward into this season.