Leeds United playmaker Facundo Buonanotte was left out of the squad for Friday's game against Nottingham Forest despite being fully fit, according to Graham Smyth.
The Whites moved in the January transfer window to bring the Argentine midfielder to Elland Road on loan until the end of the season, interrupting his loan at Chelsea in order to seal a deal for a long-term target, as Daniel Farke looks to keep the team in the Premier League.
However, the 21-year-old was conspicuous by his absence from the match day squad in it's entirety ahead of the clash between the two relegation battlers, and it has now been revealed why he wasn't involved.
Buonanotte Axed Despite No Injury
MixCollage-07-Nov-2024-01-44-PM-5637
Buonanotte made his debut for Leeds as a substitute during the 1-1 draw with Everton, featuring for just five minutes, before making another substitute appearance in the 4-0 defeat to Arsenal last weekend.
However, with forwards Daniel James and Lukas Nmecha returning from injury and fit enough to be part of the substitutes bench, there was no room for the new arrival to be on the bench and he was left out as a 'technical decision', despite being fit.
Anton Stach missed out due to injury, which saw forward Noah Okafor named in the starting lineup alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Brendan Aaronson in attack, while Joel Piroe and Wilfried Gnonto were other attacking options on the bench.
Did Leeds Waste Money on Buonanotte?
Daniel Farke
Leeds were clearly hopeful of bringing in attacking options in the winter, with a move for Jorgen Strand Larsen not materialising in the end, while a host of other names were linked.
Buonanotte was someone who was linked heavily in the summer before he opted to join Chelsea instead, and a deal last month seemed odd considering the fact the Peacocks have changed their system to play with three centre-backs since then.
Now that the squad is getting back to full fitness, the fact he isn't making the squad is a bit of a concern, and it does beg the question of whether Leeds brought him in juts because the opportunity arose again, rather than the fact they actually needed him.
There's still plenty of football to play between now and the end of the season, but it doesn't look good for the youngster, and it raises question marks about how the club works in the market.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke happy on walk into stadium Related
Leeds Line Up Transfer for 'Elite' Star, He Wants to Join
The Whites are ready to make a big move in the transfer market this summer