Midfielder Klich ends nightmare spell at Leeds United with loan switch

Klich, who arrived at Leeds in a £1.5m transfer from FC Twente in June, has returned to Holland for the rest of this season and is likely to seek a permanent move elsewhere in the summer.

The Poland international has been out of favour at United, making one league start, and he failed to break into head coach Thomas Christiansen’s line-up despite a recent spate of injuries and suspensions.

His prospects were reduced further last week by Leeds signing midfielder Adam Forshaw in a £4.5m deal from Middlesbrough.

Klich was hampered from the outset by an injury suffered in pre-season and his only league start came in a 3-1 defeat to Cardiff City in September. Christiansen substituted him after 67 minutes with Leeds 3-0 down.

His struggle for appearances led to a number of pointed posts on social media, expressing frustration at his situation, and he failed to impress on a rare start in Leeds’ embarrassing FA Cup defeat to Newport County earlier this month.

Klich holds a three-year contract with Leeds, running to 2020, but United were open to the idea of moving him on this month after receiving a number of expressions of interest from abroad.

The 27-year-old joins a Utrecht side who are currently sixth in the Dutch top flight.