Leeds United winger makes deadline day exit after late change to deal details — YEP 1/2/24
By Graham Smyth
Leeds United winger Ian Poveda has joined Sheffield
Wednesday but only on loan for the rest of the season and not in a permanent
deal as was initially planned.
The deal changed this evening from a permanent to a
temporary stint at Hillsborough, but with his contract up in the summer the
youngster's time at Elland Road is effectively at an end.
Poveda joined Leeds in January 2020 during the Marcelo
Bielsa era, signing a four-and-a-half year contract. There was not thought to
be an up-front fee involved in his move from Manchester City to Elland Road,
but City were due to make around £1m if certain clauses were met over the
course of Poveda's time at Leeds.
There was also believed to be a significant sell-on clause,
which will now become obsolete. Now 23, Poveda leaves the Whites having made
just 30 appearances, without scoring a goal and adding just a single assist.
He spent time on loan with Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers
and earned high praise from Bielsa. The Argentine described him as a player
with 'physical resources' he had never seen before, but potential never
translated to impact for the 23-year-old.
This season Poveda has found himself behind four other
wingers in Daniel Farke's pecking order, earning just 144 minutes of
Championship action. Ninety of those came at Birmingham City in the second
league game of the season.
The Blues were one of the clubs interested in taking Poveda off Leeds' hands this month but their offer was matched by Wednesday, who then convinced Poveda to make the shorter trip down the M1.
