Leeds United signing Joe Rothwell's 'back foot' issue and the inside track on his Southampton spell

The midfielder spent the first half of the season in Bournemouth's plans, albeit in a supporting role rather than a starring one. He racked up 11 top flight appearances after starting all of the first three Premier League fixtures, before game time became more and more scant as the season neared the January window. That was when the Cherries saw fit to send him out on loan to the Championship to boost Southampton's bid for escape. Again, he found himself in more of a cameo role than that of a leading light, starting four times and coming off the bench on a dozen occasions.

The Daily Echo's senior Southampton FC writer Alfie House saw a player with an attacking profile but not so much of an all-rounder. Effort was not lacking, but opportunity was for the loanee. House told the YEP: "Joe Rothwell’s Saints contribution will be remembered for winning the club’s goal of the season award and two eerily similar braces in front of the Chapel end at St Mary’s to secure some pretty vital points at the time. That’s just as well, because he didn’t do anything else to be remembered by, in the five months he was at the club. In his defence, he was on the back foot straight away by replacing the outgoing Charly Alcaraz - whose contributions last season were overrated by some fans - and it was never a fault of effort with Rothwell."

Rothwell is seen as a forward-thinking number 8 by Leeds and a player who could, if such a need should arise, even do a job slightly further forward. The transfer interest from Stade Rennais in Leeds' current occupant of the number 8 position Glen Kamara continues to bubble along in the background yet without that translating to an offer or a concerted French push to make something happen, the Whites are yet to be presented with any sort of decision to make. So as it stands, Rothwell will provide competition for the Finnish international, while Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev to battle for the number 6 spot.

Where Rothwell's influence lay last season was very much in the opponent's territory and that is where House would expect him to contribute for Leeds, in what Elland Road's new boy will be hoping is a more prominent part in the 2024/25 Championship story.

"He proved himself to be only useful in one half and we didn’t see the versatility that he seems to be credited with elsewhere," said House. "He was an attacking midfielder only, with excellent ball-striking and decent ball-carrying. Otherwise, he was fairly anonymous as he played his part. There were a couple of horror-shows - chiefly in the defeat at home to Hull - and he only played one minute across the three play-off games. However, he has a good Championship record and I don’t think any Saints would be surprised to see him have a better time of it, and he’ll be more than keen to show what he can do best and shoot from range when he gets the chance at Elland Road."