Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa has confirmed that Rangers-linked Crysencio Summerville wanted to leave Elland Road in January amid reported interest from a number of clubs [The Mirror].
The Gers are believed to be long-term admirers of Summerville, as they were first linked with him in July 2020 when he was still playing his football in the Netherlands for Feyenoord [Voetbal International].
He ended up joining Leeds instead just a few months later, but first-team opportunities have been few and far between for him in Yorkshire.
Last month, it was reported that Rangers had asked to be kept informed about his situation, as they were considering a loan swoop [Daily Mail via the Scottish Sun].
Other clubs were then also credited with interest, including Blackburn [Daily Record] and Hamburger SV [Bild].
In the end, the 20-year-old winger stayed put and the Gers brought in the even more highly rated Amad Diallo on loan from Man United on deadline day.
However, following the speculation, Bielsa confirmed on Monday that if Summerville had had his way, he would have headed elsewhere during the window.
“He spoke with me and told me that he wanted to leave,” said the Leeds boss [The Mirror]. “I told him that there weren’t any problems with him leaving. The reason why I said this to him is that as a player he has a pretty frequent participation in the first team, not necessarily coming on, but he is a player that was contemplated frequently and he asked to leave. For me that reason, that motive is sufficient.”
“Any player that tells me that they want to leave, I would answer, ‘no problem, I’m not opposed to you leaving’…I don’t analyse whether it’s fair or not, whether it corresponds or not. Simply not wanting to be here is sufficient.
“The club has a different outlook on it, because the players sign contracts and they acquire obligations. The obligations sum up to economic. I don’t have the power to decide contractual or economic problems.”
Summerville played for Leeds U23s against Blackburn in the Premier League 2 on Monday night, playing the full 90 minutes and scoring a penalty in a 3-0 win, so it’s clear that he hasn’t downed tools.
It’s unlikely that his desire to leave will go away if he doesn’t see more first-team action between now and the end of the season, though, so Rangers could potentially pounce in the summer transfer window.
At that point, the Netherlands youth international will only have a year left on his Leeds contract and so the Premier League club may be forced to consider selling or they would risk losing him for nothing further down the line.
Meanwhile, a Rangers player has streaked clear of Monaco, Olympiacos and Frankfurt stars in a UEFA poll.