Pontus Jansson has delivered an update on his future, insisting he still has an important role to play at Leeds United.
Leeds endured a difficult year in the Sky Bet Championship, failing to maintain a promising start to the season and eventually stumbling to a 13th place finish under Paul Heckingbottom.
Jansson, 27, who was a regular for Leeds in central defence, is now set to head to Russia for the World Cup this summer, where he will be representing Sweden.
Ahead of the World Cup, Jansson has been discussing his Leeds future with Swedish media outlet, Sydsvenskan.
The 27-year-old indicated that his contribution at the World Cup could dictate interest in him, he said: “I’m fine even if it was a poor second half of the season in Leeds. I have an important role in the club. I have matured as a player and as a human being.
“We’ll see where everything ends after the World Cup. There could be a continuation.”
Jansson arrived at Leeds from Torino, initially on-loan, before making that move permanent after an impressive start to life at Elland Road.
The Swedish international has made 79 appearances for Leeds across all competitions, scoring six goals for the Whites.
His performances in the Championship have helped him cement his place in the Swedish squad on a regular basis, with the summer’s World Cup offering Jansson a chance to build on his 14 caps.
The Verdict
Jansson is key to Leeds and keeping the defender at the club over the course of the summer needs to be something the Whites do.
Even selling Jansson at a good price would be a backward step for Leeds, as the defender’s role at the club is massive and finding an adequate replacement would be difficult.
However, the fact that Jansson is having to answer questions regarding his future at Elland Road is a worry for the Whites.
There is every chance that we will see some interest in the defender this summer.
Leeds fans… Let us know your thoughts!