Oliver Casey move and Leeds United transfer market plans pose question for Jamie Shackleton

YOUNG HOPEFUL - Jamie Shackleton is considered an important part of Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United first team squad but struggled to get minutes in the second half of the season. Pic: Getty

Jack Harrison swapping keepy uppies with a dog in Costa Rica for performance improvement sessions in Los Angeles is a sure sign that pre-season is almost upon us.

The Leeds United winger is known for working hard in the off-season on both the physical and mental side of his game in an attempt to return to training in prime condition ahead of a new season.

In 2019 it was strength and conditioning work at New York’s Exceed Physical Culture facility and outdoor endurance sessions with E3Sports in Manhattan’s Riverside Park.

This summer he’s working with Sports Performance Improvement, a football training company with bases in London and LA founded by Nicky Holdender, who boast Christian Benteke, Danny Ings, Leroy Sane and Lianne Sanderson among their clients.

Head trainer David Park described the work Harrison has been doing as ‘big game aspects’ that were identified as crucial keys to Harrison’s 2021-22 Premier League season.

“Off season program based on what we identified as his “big game aspects” through thorough match evaluation, which Jack agreed would be crucial to his upcoming season, especially in Bielsa’s philosophy and tactics,” he said.

Harrison is far from alone in engaging in extracurricular work and submitting himself to a pre-pre-season before Leeds United’s fitness guru Benoit Delaval welcomes him back to the Thorp Arch running track.

Ian Poveda has been lifting weights in Jamaica and Joe Gelhardt has been firing rockets into the top corner during sessions alongside his former Wigan Athletic academy team-mates in Liverpool.

Ryan Edmondson, who will spend the season on loan at Fleetwood Town, joined former Leeds team-mate Jack Clarke to train at the i2i Football Academy in York this week.

Others will be getting their runs in, as Pablo Hernandez used to do around Roundhay before returning to training in what his fellow professionals would call exemplary condition, in preparation for next Thursday’s testing when Bielsa’s staff will assess the fitness levels.

Other Leeds players are keeping fit by playing in a major tournament. They’re improving themselves, too.

Marcelo Bielsa says there are three key elements for the development of a player - their natural abilities, the first 10 years of their footballing education and the level of competition.

“Nothing improves a player more than playing against a better player,” said the Leeds United head coach.