Ex-Leeds player Noel Whelan suggests the club sold itself short when it came to selling Pontus Jansson, he told Football Insider.

The Swede's move to Brentford was a shock to most, and it was made worse by the small fee of just £5.5m that it took for The Bees to steal him away.

Jansson has been one of the best defenders in the Championship since joining Leeds three years ago, and he was a key player for The Whites.

It is therefore surprising that the club have allowed him to go for so little, particularly as he is beginning to hit his peak and had three years remaining on his contract.

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan said: "I thought we would get at least £10million for him. £5.5million does seem extremely low. That’s £4.5million less than I thought we’d get. You can get that for an average player.

"Unless there’s something we don’t know about, £5.5million for a decent centre-back in the Championship seems cheap in the current market. I can’t believe we didn’t get more for him."

Whelan is right to be astonished. Jansson was one of the best defenders in the division last season, and on a par with the likes of Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa, both of whom look like they will move for prices considerably more than Jansson, who has proved himself over a longer period.

However, the former Leeds man is not considering the circumstances under which Jansson left. He had reportedly fallen out with Bielsa and therefore the club was more willing to sell him at a reduced price, otherwise he would have likely have gone for more.

The Verdict

Jansson is a big loss for Leeds and his departure was made worse by the small fee they got for him. It will be very difficult for the club to bring in a similar quality player to Jansson, particularly for a fee of £5m.

If reports are true that Bielsa no longer wanted him in the squad then it is best for all involved that Jansson was moved on. Leeds' chances of success are a lot more reliant on team spirit and good characters than a few extra million, so although it is a shock now it could prove to be a good decision in the long-term.