Vurnon Anita looked a bargain but proved to be a Leeds United flop

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Leeds United last week shifted Vurnon Anita on to pastures new, at least temporarily. The Dutchman has been loaned to Willem II in his homeland for the season. It comes after being told he had no future at the club by new manager Marcelo Bielsa this summer.

So after just one season at Elland Road, what went wrong for Anita?

It looked, on paper, an excellent piece of business from Leeds. The Dutchman, who has three caps for his country, had just come off the back of a promotion campaign with Newcastle United. The 29-year-old played 27 times in Newcastle’s title-winning campaign before leaving on a free transfer.

Capable in holding midfield or at either full-back position, Leeds looked to have signed a versatile and competent combatant for their own promotion push.

However, Anita struggled for form at Leeds.

One potential reason is his lauded versatility. Anita never truly had a position at Leeds and never really felt like a member of the first-team squad. He often felt like something of a spare part.

The change in management could not have helped matters but, at the end of the day, Anita simply did not put in the performances expected of him at Elland Road.

What looked like a bargain, proved to be an unnecessary recruitment drive.