LEEDS’ team-mates gave tearful Mateusz Klich a guard of honour and wore shirts with his name on as the fans’ favourite prepares to leave.
The second-half sub was overcome with emotion following Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw with West Ham.
ReutersLiam Cooper joins in the tender send-off for Leeds team-mate Mateusz Klich, who is set to leave in January[/caption]
Wayne Rooney‘s DC United are amongst the clubs tipped to fight it out for the Poland midfielder, 32, who joined from Twente in 2017.
And as fans piled in to give tributes, one said: “God this is heartbreaking. I really don’t want him to go.”
Another posted: “I will miss him forever.”
And one supporter argued: “Madness letting Klich go still a very good squad player showed how valuable he is to the team when he came on.”
This view summed up the impact of a player who helped get Leeds back to the top flight and, so far, stay there.
He wrote: “Beast under Bielsa. Shame he wasn’t 5 years younger.”
Some fans felt his 27-minute cameo suggested he should regain his starting spot – as Leeds recovered from 2-1 down to draw.
One said: “Him and Harrison changed the game when we came on. Much more effective than Aaronson.
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“Why are we letting him go when he should be starting the next game? Oh yeah, because Marsch doesn’t get football.
And one claimed: “he was our best player tonight.”
It was understood last month that Klich had reached a verbal agreement to join DC – but his future is still uncertain.
He was a figurehead performer when Marcelo Bielsa guided Leeds up to the top flight in 2020.
But he’s only been a bit-part player since Jesse Marsch succeeded the Argentinian last February.
Luke Ayling and Co don tops as Klich wears the Leeds kit for what could be the last timeReuters