Leeds United favourite gives six-word verdict on Joe Rothwell loan amid message from Daniel Farke signing
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Former Leeds United favourite Ross McCormack led the well-wishes following confirmation of Joe Rothwell’s move to Elland Road.
Rothwell was announced as a Leeds player on Thursday evening, following the agreement of a season-long loan deal with parent club Bournemouth. The midfielder’s name only surfaced in reports earlier that same day and highlights the desire of 49ers Enterprises to avoid links and speculation. The YEP understands it is a straight loan with no option to buy.
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Hide AdManager Daniel Farke has got the experience he wanted, with Rothwell boasting more than 300 senior appearances, 20 of which came for last season’s victorious play-off final opponents Southampton. And his arrival at Elland Road has also pleased several former Whites players, who sent their best wishes to the 29-year-old on social media.
Commenting on the club’s announcement via Instagram, McCormack wrote ‘Big signing that. Well done all’, while another former Leeds favourite Alex Mowatt said ‘Class mate congrats’ on Rothwell’s own post. Jaidon Anthony, who made the loan move from Bournemouth to Leeds last season, simply said ‘enjoy brother’, while the man who broke Leeds hearts in May, Southampton’s Adam Armstrong, wrote ‘There he is’.
It hasn’t gone unnoticed among Leeds fans that Rothwell was once an employee of bitter rivals Manchester United, having worked his way through their academy set up as a youngster. The midfielder never actually played for the first-team at Old Trafford but spent time in the youth set up with Jesse Lingard, who was also spotted in the comments, writing ‘Good luck my bro’.
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Hide AdWhile he did not feature in the Wembley showpiece, Rothwell provided a major contribution to Southampton’s successful promotion push, registering four goals in his 16 league games including a late brace to turn a 2-2 draw with Sunderland into a 4-2 win. The England youth international knows exactly what it takes to lead a side to promotion and after making the decision to join Leeds, will hope to impart that experience on his new teammates.
“It’s unbelievable, as soon as I heard of the interest, it was something I was desperate to make happen and thankfully we’ve managed to do it quite quickly, so I can’t wait to get going now,” the new arrival told LUTV. “I don’t think Leeds United needs selling to anyone to be honest. It is a huge football club.
“The club were a bit unlucky last year, but the aim is one thing and that is to get back to the Premier League, so I want to come here, add a bit of experience and help the team do that. When you think of Leeds, you think of the fans and I’ve had a few experiences of playing at Elland Road before and it’s the first time I’ve felt a stadium vibrate before when a goal went in, so it will be nice to be on the right side of the fans this time, instead of the wrong side."