It's difficult to know whether Leeds United are getting a good or bad deal from Sunderland transfer: View | OneFootball

Leeds United sanctioned the departure of defender Leo Hjelde to Sunderland this week.

Hjelde joined Leeds from Celtic in August 2021 for a fee in excess of £1 million, but he struggled to break into the team during his time at Elland Road.

The 20-year-old initially joined the Whites' Under-23 side before being handed his senior debut for the club against West Ham United in the FA Cup in January 2022, but he would go on to make just seven further appearances.

Hjelde's spell in West Yorkshire came to an end when he completed a move to Sunderland on Tuesday for a reported fee of £2 million.

Hjelde has put pen-to-paper on a four-and-a-half year contract with the Black Cats, and he said the opportunity to make the switch to the Stadium of Light was too good to turn down.

"It feels great to be here and I’m grateful for the opportunity. I spoke to my dad, who showed me the size of the club and the support, and I knew it was a move I simply I couldn’t turn down. I’m a ball-playing centre back, or left back, and I like to get up and down the pitch. I’ve been at some big Clubs previously and this has helped me develop as a player and as a person, but I’m now ready to push on and take the next step," Hjelde told Sunderland's official website.

Leeds' supporters are unlikely to be too disappointed by Hjelde's exit, but it remains to be seen whether the deal will prove to be good business for the club.

Leeds United will have mixed feelings after Leo Hjelde departure

After spending the second half of last season on loan at Rotherham United, Hjelde started for the Whites at left-back on the opening day of the season against Cardiff City, but he was substituted at half-time, and he made just two EFL Cup appearances thereafter.

Hjelde had not been included in the matchday squad since early September, so securing a £2 million fee for a player clearly not in Daniel Farke's plans looks to be a shrewd bit of business.

However, Hjelde was bought by Leeds as a development project, and the Whites would have hoped to be able to sell him for big money in the future.

With that in mind, there may be some disappointment that the club have only made a £1 million profit on the 20-year-old, and it is likely to be even less than that, with his former club Celtic reportedly receiving a 15 percent sell-on fee.

Leeds United will be hoping to avoid Ipswich Town repeat

Hjelde's opportunities at Leeds were limited this season, and the Whites will be hoping they have not made another mistake in allowing a young player to depart.

Leeds sold left-back Leif Davis to Ipswich Town in the summer of 2022, and after helping the Tractor Boys to promotion last season, he has seamlessly made the step-up to the Championship, providing an impressive 12 assists in 26 appearances so far this campaign.

Davis endured a tough afternoon on his return to Elland Road last month, scoring an own goal and conceding a penalty as his side were beaten 4-0, but he has played a crucial role in Ipswich's promotion push, and his form could contribute to Leeds missing out on a place in the top two this season.

Of course, Hjelde failing to perform at Sunderland, or Leeds receiving a significant sell-on fee for the defender in the future would make this seem like excellent business, but for now, the Whites will watch with intrigue at how Hjelde fares at the Stadium of Light.