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FLW's Leeds United fan pundit has given his verdict on whether the club should sign Joe Rothwell on a permanent basis

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Joe Rothwell has become an important part of the Leeds United squad since the injuries to Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev.

The pair are both set to be absent long-term, which has led to Ao Tanaka and the Bournemouth loanee replacing them in Daniel Farke’s starting lineup.

The 29-year-old previously helped Southampton gain promotion to the Premier League last season, and Leeds will now be hoping he can do the same for them.

His performances have also raised questions over the possibility of signing the midfielder on a permanent basis.

It was previously reported by Adam Pope that the Yorkshire outfit have an option to buy clause as part of the season-long loan agreement with Bournemouth.

Joe Rothwell permanent transfer verdict

When asked about whether the club should pursue a permanent deal for Rothwell, FLW’s Leeds fan pundit Kris Smith suggested that they should wait on any decision until the summer.

While he is happy with how the 29-year-old is performing, he believes that there is no need to rush into any major decisions just yet.

“I’ve been absolutely delighted with Joe Rothwell since he’s come in for Ilia Gruev following his injury,” Smith told Football League World.

“Obviously, it’s not ideal the circumstances of how he’s come in, but he’s done it really well, partnering Ao Tanaka perfectly in the middle of midfield.

“What I really enjoy about Rothwell the most is just his elegance on the ball, and it’s something that we’ve missed for a long time in midfield.

“I just think when you watch him he looks one step ahead of his opposition in the Championship, and for that reason I don’t think I’d be against signing him permanently.

“Looking ahead to January, I think it is a bit premature to be agreeing that right now in the Championship, while we’re not guaranteed to go up.

“But, in general, I definitely think it’s worth considering.

“When Leeds were last in the Premier League, the three years we had I don’t think we ever considered building our squad in a more sensible way, picking up players for relatively cheap fees and just padding out the squad in positions where you can get injury crisis building up, causing you to just go off the rails.

“We never really did that in the Premier League.

“Players like Rothwell, I think, would just be a very sensible way to go at the Premier League, if we were to go up this season.

“I think, given how he’s performed this season, he’s showing the credentials that he’d be more than worth signing come the end of the season.”

Joe Rothwell’s impact at Leeds

Rothwell has become a key part of the team since Ampadu and Gruev’s injuries, starting the last five league games in a row.

It has been reported that Ampadu is recovering well from his injury, which was initially believed to keep him out of action until January.

Gruev is likely to be on the sidelines for even longer, meaning Rothwell will continue to have an important part to play in Farke’s plans for this season.

The Whites are aiming to earn promotion at the second time of asking, having missed out to Rothwell’s Southampton last year in the play-off final.

Joe Rothwell permanent signing decision should be made in May

Any decision over signing Rothwell should wait until as close to the end of the season as possible.

Leeds’ league status for next year could play a big role in determining whether a deal is worth pursuing.

While he is proving very important right now, he may have fallen down the pecking order again by May.

It also depends on the size of the option to buy clause, as the size of Leeds’ budget next summer will also be impacted by what division they’re competing in.